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“Nick was here?”
“Of course. And Rico and JP. They left after the ceremony to beat the traffic. Nick still has to pack before the flight, so he couldn’t stick around, but he wanted me to give you this.”
She hands me a small box wrapped in a white bow, taking the phone from me in trade. My fingers trace along its edges, trembling slightly as I tug at the flared edge of the satin ribbon. Slipping it free, I stuff the piece of fabric into my pocket before slowly lifting the lid.
Inside, I find what must be a hundred or so rectangular pieces of cardstock. Thumbing the stack, I slide one of the glossy pieces upward, my breath stuttering when I notice my name printed in gold foil against a black backdrop.
Daphne Burke
Luxury Interior Designs
Business cards.
He had business cards made for me.
My eyes sting with the onset of fresh tears. The struggle to keep them from falling only intensifies when I flip it over, revealing a white dahlia in full bloom centered on the back of the card.
It’s been just over three months since I stormed out of Nicky C.’s life, demanding he let me go. A part of me didn’t think him capable. Those first couple weeks, I couldn’t go anywhere without wondering if he’d pop up. A few times I could’ve even sworn I felt his eyes on me. And yet, nothing. For the first time in the history of our relationship, Nicky did exactly as I asked. It was as if any trace of him had been scrubbed from my life. If it weren’t for Mitch and Shannon, I’d have started to worry I’d imagined his existence entirely.
Things with Luc are… stable. The morning after I’d left Nicky, I’d adhered to my mother’s demands and went to see Lucian in the hospital. After overhearing Rico’s warnings, her claims regarding the trouble she could cause for the boys suddenly held a lot more legitimacy. Luc cried when he saw my face. A self-serving show of guilt-ridden grief, no doubt, but some small part of me wanted to believe he was actually sorry for what he’d done. He swore to me up and down he’d never put hands on me ever again. Promised me if I stayed, he’d make more time for me. He assured me I’d be the only woman in his life.
I agreed, and though things aren’t perfect, it certainly seems like he’s making an effort.
“Sugar bear.” Speak of the devil.
I internally groan at the latest nickname he’s been trying on for size, though smile as he tosses an arm around me and plants a kiss to my temple.
“I’ve been looking for you. Come on. We have to meet your parents at the restaurant.”
Ahh, yes. My parents. The ones who showed up before the ceremony to snap pictures with me but didn’t stay because the heat was “an unreasonable burden” I was “selfishly asking them to endure.” I was initially shocked they even showed up at all, but when my mother started tagging me on Facebook with captions like “When she inherits your beauty AND brains,” it all made sense. Looks like I finally did something worth bragging about. Anything that keeps that image up.
“Oh!” Luc glances over, startling in surprise. “Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Conners. Didn’t see you there. Hey, J!”
“Hey Luc!” Jonsie waves at him as Shannon hands the phone back to me so they can see one another better.
“How’s Caleb? All set for the move?”
Lucian introduced Jonsie to Caleb when we were visiting her last year in California. She’d decided not to come home for the summer—a tactic in her long-standing mission to never see Mav again—and so when I’d told him I wanted to go see her, Lucian thought it would be a good opportunity to visit one of his best friends, Caleb, who attended Berkeley five hours from Jones. It was also the first time I’d gotten to meet him, only previously having spoken to him on the phone when he and Luc would periodically chat.
It was a good time. And, not surprisingly, Caleb had become instantly smitten with my five-foot-eight blonde-haired blue-eyed bombshell of a best friend. I think he serves as a nice distraction from the memories she’s still running from, but I worry her heart’s not in it like his is. J’s the type of person who will stick it out to avoid hurting others, and I can’t bear the thought of my best friend simply settling. With her moving home, it will be the first time in years she and Bishop will be forced to coexist in such close proximity to one another. It’s only a matter of time before the two of them come face to face.
Not to mention, as one of my father-in-law’s top clients, Mav scored himself an invite to my wedding per Elliot’s request. An invite that he surprisingly replied Yes to. I’m dreading telling her. Shit is gonna hit the fan.
“He’s good,” J fills Luc in. “I was talking to him about it last night. He’s looking forward to seeing you.”
“When will you be home?”
“Next week.”
“Cool. Tell him I’ll call him later.”
“Will do. Oh! I almost forgot. Nicky’s hosting a quiet welcome-home dinner for me next week. It’s literally some lame excuse for him to meet Caleb for the first time.”
“Caleb won’t be at your graduation tomorrow?” I ask, brow furrowing in confusion.
“No. His graduation is tomorrow, too, so I can’t hold it against him.”
“Fair point.” I chuckle.
