A Familiar Face
T rouble in Paradise. I walked past the newsstand, trying to ignore the unflattering headline. Reporters already questioned my absence from the festivities, even though my relationship with Julian was better than ever. I’d left my engagement ring in the safe at home, my finger now bare. But I didn’t need to have it on me to know we were solid as a couple.
Baby, I miss you too , Julian texted back, likely already at his hotel in Dubai.
I grinned as if it were our first week in love. How are you feeling before the grand opening?
Amazing, except I wish you could be by my side. How is work? He asked caringly.
Insane, as you’d expect. But I’ve submitted my MBA application, so now I am waiting to find out if they accept me . I could be especially productive when I was alone in our three-story apartment.
I hope you end up doing all your homework naked . He teased. That’s the one way I will survive this degree.
I may have to resort to it . I flirted back. I won’t have time to get dressed if I keep going at this pace . Working seventy-hour weeks had become the norm, and that wasn’t even with school yet.
I am proud of you . He texted again. Are you being careful?
Definitely! Plus the girls have been nudging me about wedding planning, so both Sophie and Valentina have penciled in visits while you’re gone. You don’t need to worry, Julian. Will is on my back 24/7. Our apartment complex feels like a fortress too .
Have you already had the time to check out dresses? He nudged.
This made me a bit nervous. I knew I needed a stunning dress, but spending $1,000 right now felt excessive. Usually, parents covered the bride’s expenses, if not the entire ceremony. I decided to set that concern aside for now. Not yet, Julian. To ease some of the stress, I blew out a breath, puffing my cheeks like a pufferfish.
Whatever you need, talk to Rose. She’ll help coordinate . His ability to read my mind was one of his sweetest talents.
I knew it was a subtle offer to pay for it all. I could maybe accept it given his financials, but it still felt inappropriate for the groom to be footing the bill. It didn’t seem like good luck either. I also needed to buy Julian a ring. It had to be special, maybe with an engraving, and worth someone like him.
Thanks, baby, I mustered a smile. This was supposed to be a joyous time. It would all work out somehow.
Lucie?
It was never good when he sent a message with my name and a question mark. Had he fallen back into his melancholy again? Julian could be one of the most sensitive people I knew. Not a character trait that the general public associated with becoming a billionaire. But it was the character trait of my best friend for sure. We both had our share of family issues to process—his family was nonexistent, mine problematic.
Julian? I raised my eyebrow subconsciously. Is everything alright?
Yes, I love you endlessly , he typed suddenly.
It never felt like a mere formality to me; I cherished his words every time he said them. Still, my intuition told me that there was more to this. He wanted to say something but he wasn’t ready to say it yet.
I feel the same way. Get home soon, or I’ll blow a fuse. My body gets so hot without you, and only you can put out the fire . I replied with a playful tone, then sent him an emoji of a kiss and an eggplant.
I am instructing my team to fuel the jet now.
Oh no, don’t miss your grand opening . I laughed. The entire city of Dubai will weep.
Meet you halfway in Paris then . Julian daydreamed. Maybe I can even make it back on time if we’re quick. Usually, we are . He teased.
If only I could take off and just go to Paris for a few days… I’d get one of those chocolate croissants at my favorite bakery in Montparnasse, then wonder mindlessly through the city, hand in hand with him, peeking into libraries, and admiring the art sold on the street.
Love, just have a good time, okay? I turned the conversation back to serious. And call me after it’s over. I can’t wait to hear how everything goes.
Will do, baby. Have a good day at work! XOXO , Julian ended the conversation.
Starting my morning by talking to him put me already in a great mood. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I received a screenshot from Valentina.
James disclosed to a reporter the identity of the mystery girl: her name is Andrea.
I gasped. Had James really resorted to that? After everything he’d told me about their relationship? The truth was, he probably hadn’t dated many people, given that our relationship had spanned nearly all of college. It left him with few options. She was a logical choice.
It’s a lie? Val followed up. You are still the girl he is writing his songs about, aren’t you?
I sent her back a smiley face. All I cared about was that the situation got diffused.
She didn’t seem to share my sense of relief. Damn, Lucie, he has to be into you to create such a PR disaster. Andrea’s posted a flashback picture of them on Instagram, and now everyone’s speculating about a potential reunion. I almost feel sorry for him, and I never thought I’d say that.
I am just glad that Julian’s name will stay out of it. Especially now, because he has the opening today and I don’t want gossip to overshadow it in headlines.
Julian could handle the truth , she remarked. I still felt that keeping him out of this was the best for his mental state. James was the one who had created this problem in the first place. How he’d chosen to end things with the mystery girl wasn’t my fault.
You know I’m on your side, but if a guy throws himself under the bus like this, he’s not over you. Not at all. And he wants you to know that , she sent a new text.
Yeah… I realize that, Val . A sudden tightness formed in my stomach. But it was time to start work, and I couldn’t let myself lose focus. Amanda had once again sent an announcement that she was traveling for personal matters. She’d left me with Kali to help, but it would still be a lot to manage. Let’s just hope it ends here. I wrapped up our girly conversation.
I gave myself one last moment to breathe, then pushed any lingering thoughts aside. It wasn’t the time to dwell on unresolved feelings or complications with James. The day ahead demanded my attention, and there was no room for distractions.
Despite everything happening with James, walking into Apogee always brought a sense of genuine joy. It was where I spent most of my days, sitting in front of my computer, my desk now adorned with photos of Julian and me.
“Hey,” Kali welcomed me. She wore a pretty green dress, her hair styled in braids. I noticed she’d put pictures of what seemed to be her kids next to her computer.
I greeted her, then slid into my chair, throwing my purse on the seat divider between us.
“Amanda left you some documents to review,” she briefed me. “All she said is that it’s related to her publishing business.”
Curious, I glanced at the thick folder in front of me for Hart & Quill .
“What can I do to help today, Lucie?” She followed up with a question.
I wasn’t great at giving orders. Being a control freak, I preferred to handle most tasks myself. But at this point, delegating was prudent. A necessity.
“Kali, we’ve been having issues with the app not working offline. Please can you help?”
“On it,” she replied, playfully dancing her hands in the air.
“Thank you,” I huffed with relief, now ready to delve into the tease in front of me. The dream of owning an established publishing company felt distant, especially since I didn’t have the funds. Still, I wanted it so badly.
Amanda sure knew how to keep me motivated. She’d also left a note on the first page of the documents she’d left for me to read.
Lucie,
As you can see, the financials for this business haven’t been great. Self-help book sales make up the majority of our revenue, but fiction sales are lagging behind. Do you have any ideas on how we could boost those? Naturally, only get to this if you have extra time.
Amanda
Extra time? As a publishing icon, she understood that the success of a publishing business relied heavily on both quality content and effective marketing. But this was a full-time job, not a side hobby.
I took out my calendar, to scribble a list of tasks I needed to do in the near future.
MBA classes
Fulltime job – app optimization, magazine articles & managing Kali
Wedding prep
Make 13 million
Look into publishing business ideas
My schedule didn’t look feasible at all, and I could already feel the weight of the words I’d have to say to Julian: that our dream wedding might have to be postponed, or worse, that we’d have to elope in a quiet, small ceremony first. The thought of disappointing him gnawed at me, though. So, somehow, amidst the chaos, I’d have to figure it all out. Rose, Julian’s chief of staff—and, in a way, our surrogate grandma—would likely step in to help me hire a wedding planner if needed. But such careless spending never felt right to me, so I still planned to stay at the forefront of it all. Besides, there was fun in planning my own wedding, and I didn’t want to miss out on that.
Naturally, I was the last one at the office. To my great satisfaction, toward the end of my day, I received an email that I’d gotten accepted into LSU’s program. Classes would start the following week, which is why I spent about an hour trying to set up my student profile, and email, then hurried through the registration process. I picked International Economics, Finance & Accounting for the first three months. Why not start with what I found the most challenging?
After shutting down my computer around 7:30 PM, with the summer sun still casting light outside, I followed my usual routine. I took the elevator down, got into my Land Rover, and drove out through the emergency exit. Cortez was only a few blocks away, but per Will’s instructions, I took a different route home. This time, I detoured through Bankers Hill, then wondered if I could swing by Whole Foods in Hillcrest for some takeout sushi. With Julian not at home, I had no rush to get back.
I heard the loud roar of a motorcycle engine, and for a moment, I braced myself, expecting the rider to swerve left and weave through traffic. It was legal in California, but to me, it always seemed like the most reckless maneuver in the world. Instead, though, the motorcycle pulled up beside me, clearly intent on overtaking. I eased off the gas, giving him room to pass.
It was a dirt bike—one that had been modified for the street—painted in black and purple. The color scheme hit me like a wave, bringing back memories of Bradley. I remembered the ride we took to the ocean, the wind in our faces, the freedom in the air. He used to have a bike just like that.
Oh, those were the days. I missed our friendship more than I liked to admit. Bradley’s shop had been closed for months now. How much longer would it stay empty? How long before everything he’d built—everything that reminded me of him—faded away entirely?
That’s when it hit me—it wasn’t just a reminder of Bradley. It was him.
A surge of excitement swept through me as I pulled over to the side of the road, parking quickly and without hesitation. I jumped out of the car before the engine had even fully quieted, my feet almost stumbling in my rush. As he lifted off his helmet, the familiar grin spread across his face—one that I hadn’t seen in far too long.
“Hey, stranger!” I exclaimed.
He studied me with a quiet intensity, his expression stoic and serious, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes—as if he knew this would catch me off guard. His time in Hawaii had clearly left its mark on him. His muscles were more defined, likely from all the surfing, and his skin had deepened into a rich tan. Yet, aside from those changes, everything else about him was exactly as I remembered.
“Lucie,” he said, his voice deep and resonant—one I’d always found irresistibly masculine. I couldn’t help but remember how Valentina had once joked that it was the kind of voice perfect for narrating a steamy audiobook. He was undeniably good-looking—too good-looking, in fact. I didn’t see him as a romantic interest anymore, at least not in the way I used to, but that didn’t stop me from acknowledging just how attractive he was.
“Any plans?” he queried, his voice smooth and casual.
“Well, I was thinking of grabbing sushi from Whole Foods,” I acknowledged my upcoming culinary sin, rolling my eyes slightly at my own choice. “Julian’s out of town, and work’s been exhausting as always, so I’m starving. I skipped lunch.”
His lips curved into a teasing smile. “Want to go with me to Aki’s instead? My treat.”
A rush of excitement hit me at the thought of diving into a plate of fresh nigiri—especially with him for company. Aki’s sushi was always so much better than the stuff I’d reluctantly planned to settle for.
“I don’t consider what they sell at Whole Foods sushi,” he teased. “No offense.” His Cheshire grin reminded me how easily he could read me.
I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m down.”
“Great, we’re just a few blocks away, so no need to repark.” He slipped his helmet off. I suddenly remembered what Valentina had told me about his ex-wife. Should I bring it up now?
“It’s really good to see you here. Is this just a visit?” I queried.
“Perhaps, I haven’t decided yet.” He glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable, then kept walking toward the sushi bar. It was clear he was ready to change the subject. “You’ve been working out, Lucie,” he noted.
“It helps to keep my mind off things.” I acknowledged my efforts.
We were now entering Aki’s restaurant, and the familiar scent of fresh fish and soy sauce greeted us. Aki, the elderly Japanese chef, welcomed us with a knowing smile. He clearly knew Bradley was back in town. We took our seats at the sushi bar, and Aki immediately set to work, expertly preparing our orders.
“Val told me about your ex-wife. I am sorry Bradley, how are you feeling?” I asked caringly.
It seemed like he needed a moment. He finally spoke, his voice low, pained. “I’m fine, Lucie. It was a lot to process. She didn’t tell me she was considering ending her life, and I just wish she’d reached out when things were tough.” Pain shadowed his handsome face as he spoke.
“Yeah, do you know why? Do you know anything about it?” I wondered gently, afraid to push him too hard but needing to understand.
“I connected with an ex-boyfriend of hers. He thinks it was an overdose, not a suicide,” he replied quietly, his words heavy with regret.
I swallowed hard, unsure what to say next.
“I’ve made peace with it,” he continued, his gaze softening. “On the plane to Hawaii, I had five hours to think about everything, to look back on it all. I don’t think we would have gotten back together in the end, Lucie.”
I furrowed my brows as he continued his train of thought.
“When I came home, I realized the right thing was not to step back into the same river,” he self-reflected, referencing the ancient philosopher Heraclitus. “Even rivers, while appearing the same, are always changing, just as we are.”
That startled me. When he’d left for Hawaii, he seemed so eager to reconnect with her. I had no idea he’d come to this conclusion.
“I cleaned up. She didn’t,” his voice quivered as he paused. “And honestly, I had no idea that she was still wrestling with an ongoing addiction.”
I couldn’t help but notice that he’d said the decision happened on the plane, so he couldn’t have known that by then. So, what had prompted it?
“It still hurts, doesn’t it?” I asked, my voice full of compassion. I knew Bradley, he cared about people, and if there was anything he could have done to save her, he would have.
“It does, Lucie. And I’ll always have her in my heart. That won’t change.” His voice was firm, resolved. “I donated some money to a charity in her name. Not that it’ll bring her back, but to celebrate her life.”
“I’m terribly sorry,” I let him know again, wishing there was more I could do. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I am always an ear.”
“I’m alright, really,” he reassured me, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Besides, I don’t think Julian would be happy with that. In his defense, I probably wouldn’t want my girl staying close to a guy she used to date.” His words carried a weight, reminding me of the intimate moments we’d once shared. Despite the lightness of his tone, I couldn’t help but notice a flicker of sadness in his eyes. Of course, it would be there after what happened with his ex-wife.
“You’re sort of right with that, but I make my own decisions,” I replied, choosing to assert my independence. Unfortunately, Julian was quite the jealous type, and I couldn’t exactly blame him for it either. Bradley and I had crossed the line of friendship a few times, and I understood why Julian might feel uneasy. But still, it was important to me that my now-fiancé trusted me enough to let me decide which friendships I wanted to keep.
I decided to shift the conversation away from the tension between them. “I heard that you and Valentina have been talking.”
He quickly gritted his teeth, a clear sign this conversation was heading in a shallow direction. “We’re friends, Lucie. Don’t look for more there,” he cut off any hope of further speculations.
I felt a sudden pang for Valentina.
Just then, the waiter arrived, and we both quickly placed our orders. The conversation shifted to food, and for a moment, we both laughed at how we’d both chosen the same appetizer without even discussing it. It was funny how, when it came to food, we had the exact same taste, despite growing up in totally different environments.
“How long are you staying?” I asked, curiosity creeping into my voice.
He subtly shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure yet. An old client of mine wanted me to rebuild his truck here in San Diego. I took the business partly because I miss working on cars like that in Kauai. Over there, I’ve just been working as a fleet mechanic.”
“Are you still renting there?” I hoped to understand more about his decisions.
“Yeah, I’ve got a whole house for myself.” Next, he showed me some pictures on his phone—beautiful views of palm trees swaying in the wind, the ocean stretching into the horizon. “I am thinking of buying a house there, but it can be pretty lonely and isolating in Kauai. I don’t know if buying there is the right move.”
He was from a wealthy Hawaiian family who put an emphasis on their financial legacy, so it didn’t surprise me that he planned to invest. I nodded, understanding his hesitation. Maybe Kauai had been about finding space to heal, but living there long-term might not be the answer. I could tell he was still figuring it out.
“I’d settle for half a year here, half a year there,” I suggested. “We all miss you.” I meant mostly Valentina and myself.
He sent me a sharp gaze that I couldn’t quite place. It held a confusing depth, with a tinge of familiarity that tugged at my heart as if I should know exactly what it meant.
“How are things with you and Julian?” He suddenly brought the conversation back to me.
I looked at my bare finger. I could tell him because he wouldn’t be the one to share it with anyone. “Actually, he proposed.” I paused, watching for his reaction, knowing it wouldn’t exactly be ecstatic. However, it was better if he found out from me than from the paper.
He tried to hide his surprise, but the fact that he coughed on his water gave it away. “You said yes, right? Congrats.” His voice carried a blend of genuine concern and a hint of forced sincerity. I knew he didn’t like Julian—his obsession with money and admiration for the superficial life rubbed him the wrong way. But it seemed like he was trying to be supportive, maybe hoping I wouldn’t stay in a situation that made me unhappy.
“We’re keeping it under wraps for now,” I explained, not wanting to reveal too much. “We’re waiting to tell my Gram in person.”
“Ah, so that’s why you aren’t wearing a ring,” he observed, a knowing look in his eyes.
“Yeah, we don’t want her to hear about it from the headlines.”
“Are you excited?” he asked, his smile broad and warm as the food arrived.
“Very much,” I shared honestly. “But you know, it doesn’t feel like I have time to enjoy this time because of work. We probably won’t even have the wedding until I finish my MBA, Amanda’s new requirement.”
“She doesn’t give you a break, does she?” he scowled, though his tone turned light, almost teasing.
“You don’t even know…She’s offering me to buy into her business when it goes public next spring.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t her business worth around a billion? Is that a wedding gift?”
I shook my head profusely as I hovered a nigiri in my chopsticks. “Nope, I’m determined to earn the money on my own. I need about $13 million to buy enough A shares to become an executive.”
“Girl, you’ve been busy…” he joked. “What’s your game plan?”
“No idea yet,” I said with a shrug. “I’m ready for it to not work out. But the idea of Hart Media becoming my venture is exciting. I’m really into the publishing side of things—it has a lot of room to grow. Amanda hasn’t really been focusing on it since she’s been all about Apogee .”
He took his time savoring his tuna roll, the citrus-soy dressing complementing the seared fish perfectly. “I get that,” he continued after swallowing his last bite. “My car shop was like that for me. But I didn’t do it alone—my mom invested with me. If it’s a significant amount, you might want to ask Julian. You could borrow the money and pay it back later if it makes you uneasy. I’d do the same for my future wife if I could.”
“Sophie said the same thing,” I replied, considering it. “But it doesn’t feel right. I don’t want to start my marriage with a transaction, you know?”
He studied me closely, then his eyes flickered to my lips. I became self-conscious, noticing the cracked skin on the corners of my mouth. It had finally started to heal.
“I don’t think that’s it, Lucie,” he commented quietly.
I glanced up from my dish. Was there something more I wasn’t seeing? For a moment, his eyes caught mine, a flicker of something unreadable passing between us. An embarrassing flashback hit me—of him tearing my clothes off at the same restaurant several months ago. I quickly pushed the memory aside, my cheeks warming.
Just then, his phone rang, and I saw Valentina’s name light up on the screen. He hesitated, then stepped outside to take the call. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back”
I watched him through the window, silently hoping that maybe the two of them could find a connection. As if seeing him with someone else would somehow reassure me that he was truly in a good place.
I then reflected on what he had said earlier—about sensing something was wrong but not being able to figure it out—and it made me wonder. Why did it seem like Bradley, with his uncanny ability to read people and situations, could always pick up on things I missed? His street smarts, honed by years of navigating the complexities of life, often gave him an edge that I didn’t have. I wondered if he was seeing something in me that I hadn’t yet acknowledged, something I couldn’t quite bring myself to confront. Maybe he had a clearer picture of the situation than I did, or perhaps his experiences had taught him to notice the subtle signs that others overlooked.