2. Alex
2
ALEX
S ix years. Six damn years.
I sit in the conference room, staring at the woman across from me. Bianca Preston. Bia.
She looks every bit as stunning as she always did. Her long brown box braids frame her face, highlighting those deep, intelligent eyes that always saw right through me. She’s more polished now, dressed in a sleek blazer and pants that scream professionalism, but there’s still that spark of spontaneity in her eyes.
We had no idea it was her we were hiring for the job. Someone else set up the meeting for us. It’s like fate decided to have a laugh at our expense.
Liam sits next to me, and I can practically feel the tension rolling off him. He’s gripping his pen like it’s a lifeline, his knuckles white.
Bianca’s presence has him on edge, but he’s doing his best to keep his cool. It’s not easy for him; she broke his heart when she left without a word all those years ago. Shit, she broke all our hearts.
I glance at Liam. He meets my eyes for a brief second before we both turn our attention to Bianca.
“Okay now that the boring stuff is out of the way, Bianca, why don’t you walk us through your design concept?” Rebecca prompts.
Bianca nods, before standing up and walking over to the projector screen. Her movements are graceful, confident. She clicks through her presentation with ease, outlining her vision for our newest property with precision and passion.
As she speaks, I can’t help but admire her a little. She’s grown so much since we last saw each other. Her confidence is palpable, filling the room as she explains her ideas with enthusiasm.
“Our goal is to create a space that is both modern and welcoming,” Bianca says, steadily and sure. “We want potential buyers to walk in and immediately feel at home.”
She glances at me briefly before continuing with her presentation. There’s a flicker of recognition in her eyes when they meet mine, but she doesn’t falter.
Liam sits back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. His expression is hard to read, but I know him well enough to understand the conflict there. He wants to be impressed by her work – hell, he is impressed – but there’s still that wall he built up after she left.
“Thank you, Bianca,” Rebecca says as Bianca wraps up her presentation.
Bianca returns to her seat, looking calm and collected despite the intensity of the situation.
I can't help but steal glances at Bianca as Sarah drones on about the project timeline. Her focus is unwavering, her eyes locked on Sarah as if she’s hanging on every word. Liam, on the other hand, is back to gripping his pen like it’s the only thing keeping him tethered to reality. He’d rather die than admit Bianca is good at what she does.
Sarah’s voice fades into the background as I study Bianca. She’s got this quiet confidence that draws people in. It’s in the way she carries herself, the way she speaks with authority without coming off as arrogant. It’s no wonder she landed this gig; she’s a force to be reckoned with.
I force myself to look away before anyone notices. The last thing we need is for someone to pick up on the tension crackling between us. Pretending we don’t know each other is harder than I thought it’d be, especially with all these memories rushing back.
“Alex, any thoughts on the proposed timeline?” Sarah asks, pulling me back into the conversation.
“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat. “I think Bianca’s timeline is solid. We might need to make a few adjustments once construction starts, but overall, it looks doable.”
Liam nods in agreement, though his jaw is still clenched tight. “I agree. It’s ambitious, but I think we can pull it off.”
Bianca flashes a brief smile, and for a moment, there's a hint of relief in her eyes. She needed that validation from us, even if she won’t admit it.
Sarah continues outlining the next steps, and I try to focus on her words instead of getting lost in my thoughts about Bianca. It’s not easy; every time I glance in her direction, I’m reminded of all those nights we spent together, laughing and dreaming about the future.
Liam shifts in his seat beside me, his tension palpable. He’s struggling more than I am to keep up this fa?ade of professionalism. But despite everything, he’s holding it together for the sake of the project.
Bianca leans forward slightly, her attention fully on Sarah as she speaks. She’s so damn professional it hurts – like we’re just business associates who’ve never shared anything deeper than a handshake.
As the meeting wraps up, Sarah concludes, "So, we’ll proceed with Bianca's design proposal. Bianca, Alex, and Liam will meet at the property tomorrow to go over the details on-site."
I nod, glancing over at Liam. He’s still tense, but there’s a glimmer of something in his eyes.
Everyone starts gathering their things, and the room fills with the sounds of chairs scraping against the floor and papers shuffling. I stand up, stretching a bit to shake off the stiffness from sitting too long.
“Alright, see you all tomorrow,” Rebecca says with a smile before heading out.
Liam and I linger, exchanging a quick look. He raises an eyebrow, silently asking if we’re really doing this. I give him a small nod in return.
As the last of our colleagues file out of the room, I walk over to Bianca. She’s still packing up her things, her focus entirely on her laptop as she slides it into her bag.
“Hey, Bia.”
She looks up sharply at the sound of her nickname, her eyes widening slightly before she masks her surprise. “Alex,” she replies coolly.
Liam joins us, his posture rigid but his eyes softening just a bit as he looks at her.
Bianca’s expression flickers for a moment before she settles into a neutral mask. “Liam,” she says, making him stiffen.
The air between us is charged with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. It’s like walking on a tightrope; one wrong move and everything could come crashing down.
I breathe deep and look Bianca straight in the eye. “Bia, we didn’t know it was you we’d be hiring.”
Liam nods, his expression still guarded.
Bianca's eyes narrow slightly as she processes my words. She takes a moment before replying, evenly. “Okay. Well, I’m here now, so let’s make the best of it.”
“Absolutely,” I say quickly, noting the tension hanging between us. “We don’t have a problem with you finishing the job. Your design is incredible.”
Liam grunts in agreement. “We’re professionals. We can handle this.”
The room seems like it’s closing in on us, the weight of our shared history pressing in from all sides. Memories of late nights, stolen glances, and whispered conversations fill the silence between us.
Bianca shifts her weight from one foot to the other, her eyes darting between me and Liam. “Thanks for saying that,” she says finally, her voice softer than before.
There’s an awkward pause as we all stand there, not quite knowing what to say next. The air is thick with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.
“Alright then. We’ll keep it professional,” Bianca says, her voice firm. “We can do this.”
“Agreed,” Liam mutters, though I don't miss the effort it takes him to get the words out.
I nod. “Absolutely. Civil and professional.”
Bianca gives a tight smile before gathering her things and walking out of the room. The click of her heels on the floor echoes in the silence that follows.
As soon as the door closes behind her, I let out a long deep breath.
“Man, this is gonna be interesting,” I say, shaking my head.
I sit back down and lean in my chair, my thoughts drifting to Bianca. Seeing her again after all these years... it’s like a jolt to my system.
She fucking ghosted us. No explanation, no goodbye. Just gone. We haven't heard from her in six years.
“What are you thinking?” Liam asks, his voice low.
I shrug. “Nothing. I just... didn’t expect this. But hey, she’s good at what she does. We’ll make it work.”
Liam leans over the table and narrows his eyes at me for a moment before nodding slowly. “Yeah. We’ll make it work.”
Deep down, I know it’s more than just about making it work. There’s a part of me that’s genuinely excited to be around Bianca again, to hear her voice and watch her in action. It’s like some part of me never really let go of her, even after all these years.
I reign in the excitement, knowing I have to be professional. This isn’t college anymore. We’re not the same carefree kids who thought we could take on the world together. We’re business partners now, and we’ve got a job to do.
“We should get out of here,” I say, grabbing my laptop bag. “We've got a lot to prep for tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Liam mutters. He stands up, stretching his arms above his head. “Let’s go.”