Convincing her (Jen and Lucas)

The two did not have much time to themselves and were quickly whisked away by their friends. As Jen glanced around looking for Lucas, she saw him standing with the other men around the grill while chatting and enjoying their drinks.

"So Lucas is going back tomorrow morning?" Laura asked as she drank her tonic water. Only she and Leanna were not drinking because she had a job the following day and she did not want to waste her efforts.

"Yeah," Jen said with a faint smile on her lips.

"I'm sure you two made sure you enjoyed yourselves enough so that you won't die during the time you'll be apart," Laura teased and laughed at her friend's blushing face that seemed to confirm her speculations.

On the other side, the guys were asking Lucas whether he was really going to wait until the following year to get married.

"I plan on doing whatever she wants. If she wants us to marry tomorrow then we will, if it's later then it will do as well," Lucas said generously and his friends nodded in understanding. It wasn't like he could just pressure Jen into getting married anyway.

"I still think the sooner the better," Ethan said as he took a sip of his scotch.

"Do you think everyone is like you?" Jason asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ethan asked with narrowed eyes.

"We can't just knock up our girlfriends and trick them into getting married," James said bluntly and Ethan felt helpless for the nth time. People kept on saying that he got Leanna pregnant on purpose but he stood by his word that that was not the case. Why would he do something like that to her?

"How many times do I have to tell everyone that it was not deliberate? It was an accident, alright?" Ethan said with a defensive tone.

"If it was an accident I'll write my name backwards," Brian mumbled as he turned the meat on the grill.

"Everyone here is qualified to have such accidents except for you two," Jason said as he pointed at Ethan and Nathan. Nathan felt helpless as he was not even participating in the conversation but he still ended up being targeted by his friends. He turned and glared at Ethan who became even more frustrated.

"Even the most skilled drivers have car accidents," Ethan tried to defend.

"My friend, you can't compare your profession to a driver's, okay? When a driver has a car accident, it doesn't usually result in having a pregnant girlfriend," Jason said, shutting Ethan down without mercy. This comment of his made all the guys laugh at his expense.

At this point, he figured that the best thing he can do for now, is to remain quiet, otherwise, he will really become a source of amusement for everyone. Besides, his wife really thinks that it was an accident, it wouldn't do if she heard all of the things his friends kept saying about their situation. Especially because her pregnancy has made her quite sensitive.

"Medical accidents normally don't result in pregnant girlfriends either," Ethan mumbled and Nathan moved further away from his brother.

"As long as they don't involve trying not to get someone pregnant," Brian said under his breath but they all heard him anyway. Just like this, Ethan was taunted until he just gave up on defending himself and changing the topic.

When Lucas received a plate of the barbecued meat from Brian, he took it and added more on it before going to snatch Jen so that they could eat it together.

He took off the light jacket he was wearing and draped it over her exposed shoulders before pulling the chair for her.

"Thank you," Jen said with a wide smile. She has gotten used to how gentlemanly he always was, that thanking him became a subconscious behaviour. Lucas knew that when she smiled at him like she currently was, it meant that she was acutely aware of his actions. 

Jen wasn't really hungry so she was sipping on Lucas's drink as she watched him enjoy the food on the plate.

"Aren't you hungry?" Lucas asked when he noticed that he was the only one eating.

"Not really," Jen responded and suddenly her mouth was filled with the taste of tender meat. She subconsciously chewed and juices spilt into her mouth making her close her eyes from how delicious it actually was.

"It's really good, Brain is good at this," Lucas said with a satisfied smile when he saw how her eyes narrowed from enjoyment and fed her another piece.

"He really is," Jen responded once she regained some of her composure and took a sip of the brandy she had been enjoying. Jen continued sipping on her drink. As much as she wanted to keep eating, she already had her fill at her in-laws so she did not want to overstuff herself.

"It's getting cold, you should have some more," Jen said and fed a piece to Lucas who had been blankly staring at her. Lucas chewed while keeping his gaze on his fiancee. Jen rested her chin on her hand as she looked at his handsome face and a natural smile appeared on her face. 

"Handsome?" Lucas joked when he saw how she was studying his face with so much concentration.

"Very," Jen said naturally and reached forward to stroke his stubbled jaw. 

"You are really testing me, Miss Larson," Lucas said as his gaze changed. He looked like he would devour her at any time.  Jen pursed her lips together and stopped her movements to look at him. 

"I didn't mean to," Jen said honestly. She was not trying to seduce or anything of the sort. It was his fault if his head went in the wrong direction.

"Mmmh," Lucas answered vaguely as he took the glass she was holding and toog=k a sip from it. Jen unconsciously gulped as she watched him take a long drink from the glass. She could feel herself reject the drink that she had not even drunk because of how quickly Lucas was downing such a strong drink.

"Take it slow," Jen said and placed a bottle of water next to him. 

"Why don't we leave together tomorrow?" Lucas asked and Jen raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"I'll come in a little over three weeks. I'll be done with my exams by then. Now isn't a good time to leave," Jen answered honestly. Lucas's hazel eyes bored into hers for a while, making her feel nervous.

"I'll wait for you," Lucas said and took her hand in his. Jen looked at how his hand held hers and felt her heart warm from his actions. SHe couldn't help but feel like she was spoiled from the littlest gestures he made.

"Okay," Jen said with a shallow smile.

"You'll have compensate me tonight, I don't know if I can stay sane without anything to think about over the next three weeks," Lucas said as he pinched her soft delicate fingers between his. Jen felt helpless when she heard his words. It was not like she could just deny him anyway, she still had to go to him in the future. Maybe she should use the time she was free to do some research so that she could reward him for his wait.