Thanks so much for all the sweet comments! They make writing so much more fun!

And here's the promised Brunch date:

Chapter 3: A Rain-Check for the Devil

„Something casual…" Chloe remembered her own words from the day before as she considered the clothing options in front of her. There was the blue sundress, and guessing that Lucifer probably didn't even know the meaning of casual it was the safe option for wherever he was taking her. But then again, she really didn't want him to think that she got dressed up for him so maybe she should just throw on her favorite pair of jeans and a nice blouse …it was only brunch after all…

"Mommy, Lucifer is here!" Trixie yelled from downstairs.

"Let him in baby, I'll be down in a minute."

"Ok!" Trixie ran to the door to let the devil in.

"Lucifer!" she greeted him with the usual enthusiasm.

"Hello child, I'm here to take out your mother."

"I know!" she beamed. "You look nice today."

"Well your mother said casual, so I…" he stopped mid sentence as he caught sight of Chloe descending the stairs. The blue dress had won in the end, but she had added a light denim jacket in a last minute decision.

"Well hello Detective, did you put on that lovely dress just for me?"

"Don't flatter yourself," she replied, trying hard not to appear too surprised about the man's own appearance because Lucifer Morningstar was actually wearing jeans and a thin navy sweater that looked incredibly soft.

"Where are you going?" Trixie interrupted before Chloe could comment on Lucifer's new look.

"Did you put her up to this Detective? Trying to ruin the surprise?"

"Mommy, spent all morning deciding what to wear!" Trixie explained.

"Trixie!" Chloe scolded her.

"What?" The girl shrugged.

"Well, I like the final choice," Lucifer said, and Chloe tried her best to ignore the twinkle that had appeared in Lucifer's eyes as a direct result of seeing the dress. She'd rather not know what he was thinking right now.

"Shall we?" He extended his arm to her.

"Let's get this over with…"

After dropping Trixie of at Mrs Schaefer's – who was delighted to see Lucifer again – the pair got into Lucifer's Corvette and drove up to the restaurant he had picked for the occasion.

"I have to say I was afraid you'd just take me to Lux and have Maze serve us Mimosas," Chloe joked as they turned around a corner and pulled into the driveway of a small, but exclusive looking venue by the beach.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'd never get her out of bed this early in the…" he joked, but his face fell at the sight of the scene in front of them. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight for either of them, he had accompanied Chloe to enough crime scenes to not be fazed by the chaos and commotion that accompanied the average tragedy... but seeing not only one but two fire trucks as well as an ambulance in front of the restaurant he had chosen for their perfect date …well it was enough to render the devil speechless.

"My god..." Chloe said under her breath, to which Lucifer just rolled his eyes – his father did a lot of questionable things, but blowing up a restaurant to ruin his chances with the Detective? He couldn't be that deluded…

"Mr. Morningstar!" A short, stout man with an italian accent came up to them.

"Catastrophe!" he exclaimed throwing his hands over his head.

"Paolo, what happened?" Lucifer got out of his car to talk to the man.

"Idiots!"

"Ok, I'll need more information."

"My staff! Idiots! I leave them for five minutes to make sure I'll get the best fragole for you, and when I come back …inferno!"

"Is anyone hurt?" Chloe asked.

"No one important," Paolo's response was followed by a dismissive gesture towards the ambulance. "But Signorina," he leaned over the side of the convertible "I'm sure we can find a way to salvage the food! Paolo is a man of his words, and I promised Mr, Morningstar my best, Just give me five minutes, cinque minuti!"

"Cinque minuti! What do you say Detective?" Lucifer asked, but the 'Are you serious' look in Chloe's eyes said it all.

"Paolo," Lucifer put a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "It's going to be ok. We'll find another place to eat."

"Really?" Paolo looked at Chloe, who simply responded with a sympathetic smile – not sure what to make of the fact, that the chef's main concern seemed to be making Lucifer happy, and not his kitchen which had just gone up in flames.

"Let me at least give you something to make up for the inconvenience…"

"That's really not…" Lucifer tried to stop him, but there was no use.

"So, I take it you're a regular?" Chloe joked as Lucifer got back into the car.

"I helped him out when he first came here, amazing chef, bit of a character though."

"Oh really, I hadn't noticed," she couldn't help but laugh..

"You wouldn't be laughing if you knew how good his food is…"

"I gathered from when you were considering eating in the ruins."

"I've seen worse."

"Mr. Morningstar," Paolo came back with an expensive looking bottle. "I saved a bottle of my best champagne for you," he wiped the soot of the label before handing it to Lucifer.

"Thank you, you're a good man Paolo," Lucifer replied, not bothering to argue with him about accepting the gift, it would have been pointless anyway.

"Enjoy, I have to get back to my kitchen."

"Yes, you really should. And thank you."

"Ciao, Signorina," He waved at Chloe and commenced to yell at a paramedic who was taking too much care with one of the 'idiots' injuries.

"So, any suggestions? My plans just went up in smoke," Lucifer said dryly.

"I know a place," she threw him a smile.

Aside from Chloe giving directions, it was a quiet drive. The two of them simply enjoyed the sun and each other's company … at least until the peace was interrupted by a loud and unfamiliar noise from the engine.

"Oh come on… Don't you die on me now…" Lucifer pleaded.

"That didn't sound good, pull over."

"No, it'll be fine…" it wasn't fine, and soon all he got was a stuttering sound...and just enough power to actually pull over like Chloe had told him.

"This is unbelievable…"

"Does this happen a lot?" Chloe tried to help.

"No… why would I have a car that does... whatever this is!" He huffed.

"Open the hood."

He responded with a blank stare.

"Let me have a look, my dad had an old Mustang and I always used to help him when he worked on it on weekends."

"Knock yourself out…" he complied and unlocked the hood as Chloe got out of the car to have a look.

"This isn't fair, we were supposed to be at Paolo's now, and you were supposed to be swooning over the food …not getting your hands dirty in this wretched engine… I even put on these bloody clothes, to look all approachable and what not!"

"Lucifer, relax. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. It just overheated. That happens sometimes. Let's just give it a couple of minutes," she closed the hood and slipped back into the passenger seat.

"Hey…" She didn't have to be a psychic to know what Lucifer was currently thinking… first the restaurant, now the car… everything that could go wrong, had gone wrong.

"…you know you'll get a rain-check, right?"

"I do?"

"Well, the deal was to have brunch with you, and it's a little late for that now. And side note, I do like the clothes."

"I do look rather dashing in blue…"

"I can't argue with that, and just so you know this is far from the worst date I've ever been on."

"So it's a date now?"

"What do you think?" She cocked her head to the side and smiled at him, and for the first time in his life Lucifer didn't know what to do with a woman.

"Well…" He mirrored her pose. " This might come as a surprise, but I have never been on a date before."

"What?"

"Usually people just come to me. Like you did the other night.…"

"Charming."

"But from what I've seen in movies," he paused for dramatic effect. "This seems like an acceptable time to do this," he brought his hand up to cup her cheek, and when she didn't draw back he leaned in. He could already feel her lips brushing against his when he was hit with another sensation that wasn't nearly as pleasant. It was only a tiny drop... but as soon as Lucifer looked up the blue sky above him darkened and that tiny drop was followed by a wave of thunder, releasing a torrential downpour.

The moment was gone.

"No …" he punched the steering wheel, and got out of the car. "The fire, the engine, I gave you the benefit of the doubt...but this?" He looked up and proceeded to yell at the clouds above them "I did everything right, I don't deserve this! Chloe does not deserve this!"

"Lucifer!" Chloe tried to calm him down.

"And I thought the whole Noah thing was a one off …so much for consistency!"

"Hey!"

"What?" he snapped at Chloe.

"Put the top up?" She wasn't sure what was happening right now, but whatever it was could continue without them getting drenched by the rain.

"I can't."

"What?"

"It's getting fixed," he explained. "Maze, bullet holes, boring story…" the anger from a few seconds ago, had now dissolved into disappointment.

"Ok, It's fine… It's just rain."

"No it's not, it's my father saying I can't have nice things!" He reached for the bottle Paolo had given them, but his attempt to open it with wet hands ended with the bottle shattering on the ground.

"That's it, he wins." He threw his hands up in defeat.

"Well, you really shouldn't drink and drive…" Chloe had tried to be sympathetic but at this point all she could do was laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" The devil was genuinely confused about her reaction …and maybe also little offended.

"Because you look pathetic, and…" She also got out of the car, and walked around it to join him. "…you just yelled at a cloud."

"I was talking to my father," he replied, eyeing her with suspicion as she walked up to him.

"Do you want to make him really mad?" She ran a hand trough his wet hair, before butting both of her hands around his neck.

"I''m not sure how… Oh…" his eyes grew wide as he realized what she had in mind.

"But don't blame me if we get struck by lightning."

"I'll risk it," and with that their lips met. Lucifer put his arms around her, holding her tight as he leaned into the kiss. And within seconds all his anger, disappointment, and frustration were forgotten.

"Worth it…" she whispered as the need for air forced them apart.

"Look," he looked up to the sky. "It stopped."

"Ok, that is a little weird."

"He works in mysterious ways…" Lucifer leaned in again, but Chloe took a step back and put a finger on his lips.

"After we call a tow-truck, because your corvette resembles a hot tub right now."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," He joked knowing very well that Chloe was right. "Do I still get my rain-check?"

"Only if we don't leave the house for it."

"Oh,that can certainly be arranged," he replied with a smirk. "I mean, I am sure that Paolo delivers."

Chloe shook her head as she scrolled through the contacts on her phone and wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into.

I thought the date from hell would only be appropriate for these two – and both Paolo and the stubborn convertible turned hot tub are based on real people/events. I'm glad I could finally use them in a story. Comments make my day!

Love Laura