Kiss me - Ruel
***
At Lucas's apartment, Jennifer noticed their dance video had become a trend. She commented to Lucas, "Now the song 'Shallow' is even more popular than before..." Her eyes scanned the screen, seeing other celebrities using the song on Vine.
Lucas caught a hint of something in her tone. "What? You got an issue with the song again?"
She sighed, "It just doesn't sit right with me when the song of my boy isn't for me." The hint in her voice was clear as day.
Lucas, picking up on it immediately, said, "Oh? Are you trying to hint that I should make a song for you?"
Jennifer avoided his gaze, "I didn't say that." But her curiosity was piqued, wondering if Lucas would actually write a song for her.
A wave of nostalgia hit her as she remembered Lucas singing to her in public years ago.
Lucas smiled, noticing her silent demeanor. He quickly grabbed his guitar and, surprising her, began to play. "Kiss me out in the bearded barley," he sang softly, "Nightly, beside the green, green grass."
Jennifer's eyes widened as she looked at Lucas. The unfamiliar melody flowed sweetly, indicating it was Lucas's original composition.
"Swing, swing, swing that spinning step. I'll wear those shoes, and you'll wear that dress, oh-oh-oh."
Lucas's voice, deep and melodious, filled the room as he sang:
"Kiss me beneath the milky twilight."
"Lead me out on the moonlit floor. Lift your open hand, strike up the band."
"And make the fireflies dance, the silver moon's sparkling. Mm, so kiss me."
He continued singing, gazing into Jennifer's eyes, before softly concluding:
"Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance. Silver moon's sparkling. So kiss me"
As the last note faded, Jennifer's eyes widened in awe. "Did you just compose that for me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas chuckled, thinking of his previous life but choosing to live in the moment. "Did you like it?" he asked simply.
Jennifer's face broke into a radiant smile. "Of course I like it!" She approached him, planting a deep kiss on his lips. After they parted, she suggested excitedly, "Why don't you record that song?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Recording the song? Well, it'll take some time to book a studio and get a contract-"
Jennifer nudged him playfully. "No, silly. I mean record it yourself. Buy a microphone, use your computer, and set up a soundproof room."
Lucas scratched the back of his head. "Soundproof room? Don't have one of those lying around."
Jennifer's eyes lit up with an idea. "You should buy a mansion in L.A.! You're not exactly hurting for money, and those places usually come with recording studios."
"A mansion?" Lucas hesitated. "That's pretty expensive..."
Jennifer nudged him again. "Come on, you're loaded. Live a little!"
Lucas wavered, but Jennifer's enthusiasm was infectious. Finally, he sighed in mock defeat. "Alright, alright. I'll call my financial advisor about buying a house."
Jennifer grinned triumphantly, already imagining the possibilities. As Lucas picked up his phone to make the call, she couldn't help but feel a little smug. Sometimes, all it took was a gentle push to get Lucas to embrace the perks of his success.
***
Lucas sighed, scrolling through his contacts before tapping on "Gaylord - Financial Advisor." The phone rang twice before a chirpy voice answered.
"Lucas! To what do I owe this pleasure? Ready to invest in another tech startup?"
Lucas chuckled. "Not quite. I'm actually thinking about buying a house. In L.A."
There was a pause on the other end. "A house? In L.A.? Did I hear that right?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's not really my style, but... let's just say I'm being persuaded."
Jennifer, overhearing, stifled a laugh.
Gaylord's voice came back. "Well, alright then! I've got some contacts in real estate. Any specific requirements?"
Lucas glanced at Jennifer, who was now eagerly mouthing 'recording studio' at him. "Uh, yeah. Something with a built-in recording studio would be great."
"Recording studio, got it. Budget?"
Lucas winced. "Let's... not go too crazy, okay?"
Gaylord laughed. "Lucas, your idea of 'not too crazy' and the L.A. real estate market's idea are two very different things. But I'll do my best. Give me a couple of days, and I'll have some options for you."
"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."
Jennifer smiled, surveying Lucas's apartment. "Finally, you're about to buy a house. I was starting to think you'd live in this shoebox forever," she teased.
Lucas chuckled wryly. "Let's see what Gaylord comes up with first. Knowing him, he might try to sell me the White House."
A couple of days passed, and Lucas found himself on the set of "House of Cards" for his cameo appearance. Despite his expectations, Kevin Spacey behaved normally, though Lucas remained cautious, knowing about the actor's controversies.
The "House of Cards" set was buzzing with excitement as Lucas wrapped up his cameo. Cast and crew swarmed him, phones out for selfies and scraps of paper thrust forward for autographs. Lucas, now used to this circus, smiled and obliged with practiced ease.
"Alright, alright, one at a time," he chuckled, signing a crew member's baseball cap.
After a final group photo with the main cast, Lucas waved goodbye, leaving behind a wake of starstruck fans.
Two days later, Lucas's phone buzzed. It was Gaylord, his financial advisor.
"Found a place," Gaylord said without preamble. "Two million, sound-proof recording studio built-in. It's a steal for L.A."
Lucas winced at the price. "Two million? That's... I'll think about it."
He hung up, rubbing his temples. Jennifer, who'd overheard, looked at him incredulously.
"Two million? That's pocket change for you!"
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Pocket change?"
Jennifer rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. You probably make that in a week."
"It's not about what I make," Lucas protested weakly. "It's about... fiscal responsibility?"
Jennifer snorted. "Says the guy who just bought a small country's GDP worth of Netflix stock."
Lucas opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. She had a point.
After a moment of internal debate, he sighed. "Fine. I'll buy it."
Jennifer's triumphant whoop was almost enough to make him smile. Almost.
As he dialed Gaylord's number, Lucas couldn't help but wonder how he'd gone from a guy with an apartment to someone casually dropping millions on a house. Hollywood was a strange place indeed.
***
News of Lucas's $2 million house purchase spread like wildfire one day later. The media, always hungry for celebrity gossip, pounced on the story immediately.
On Twitter, fans and observers alike chimed in:
"Finally! Our boy's got a proper pad. About time!"
"2 mil? That's chump change for Lucas. Surprised he didn't go bigger."
"Knight buys a house. In other news, water is wet. #SlowNewsDay"
"Lucas Knight buys a house. Next up: Lucas Knight breathes air. Stay tuned for more breaking news."
Despite the jokes, the overall reaction was one of approval. Lucas's reputation for philanthropy and modest living had earned him goodwill, and most people seemed to think this purchase was long overdue.
"After all his charity work, Lucas deserves a nice place. Good for him!"
"Even Eminem's got a $1 mil crib. Lucas was living like a monk before this."
***
As Lucas and Jennifer stepped off the plane in L.A., they were immediately swarmed by reporters.
"Lucas! How does it feel to finally own a house?" one shouted.
"Any plans for housewarming parties?" another chimed in.
Lucas, ever polite, managed a smile. "It feels great. And no parties planned yet, but I'll keep you posted."
Jennifer, sensing Lucas's discomfort, stepped in. "We're just excited to see the place. Now, if you'll excuse us..."
Their security team cleared a path, and they quickly ducked into a waiting SUV.
Once inside, Lucas let out a heavy sigh. "I didn't know me buying a house would be breaking news."
Jennifer chuckled, patting his knee. "I couldn't blame them. After all, you're literally the only A-lister without a private villa or jet or something."
Lucas just shook his head, still wondering if he'd made the right decision.
However, as they pulled up to the new house, even Lucas had to admit it looked impressive.
"Not bad, huh?" Jennifer nudged him, grinning.
Lucas nodded, a small smile forming. "Yeah, it's... it's not bad at all."
Jennifer's eyes lit up. "Let's go see the recording studio!"
They made their way through the house, Lucas's appreciation growing with each room. When they reached the studio, he was genuinely impressed by the state-of-the-art equipment and soundproofing.
Jennifer turned to him, eyes sparkling. "Now you can record that song you wrote for me."
Lucas chuckled, realizing that maybe, just maybe, this house wasn't such a bad idea after all. "Alright, alright. Let's see what this studio can do."
Lucas approached the microphone, testing it with a few taps and "check, check" vocalizations. Jennifer watched from the control room, a satisfied smile on her face.
"See? Owning a house doesn't feel so bad, right?" she called out through the intercom.
Lucas shrugged, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "Certainly not bad," he admitted.
Jennifer laughed, her voice tinny through the speakers. "Seriously, you should be thrilled. It's not a crime to spend your hard-earned money on yourself once in a while, you know. The IRS isn't going to come knocking because you bought a house."
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Alright, alright. I get it. It's... nice."
As Lucas continued to familiarize himself with the studio equipment, he could hear excited voices from outside. Jack, Simon, and Shawn, his long-time security team, were exploring the house, their enthusiasm evident even from a distance.
"Boss finally got himself a proper pad!" Jack's booming voice carried through the halls.
"About time," Simon chimed in. "Thought we'd be guarding that shoebox apartment forever."
Shawn's voice joined in, "I honestly thought Lucas would never even consider buying a house. Guess miracles do happen!"