Page 36 of Heart Match

‘Ahh Olivia …’ he sighs.

His expression is of someone who’s imagining or daydreaming about something they are longing for. He bites his lower lip and I’m certain of what he’s thinking about, because it’s just what I’m thinking about too.

Our moment is broken by something he sees on his phone. His face, suddenly serious, turns to look out at the street through the window.

It’s Jules, Daniel, and Maurice walking towards the café. This makes Luc uncomfortable and unsettled. I wonder why they’re always together, I’m guessing it’s just the fact that they’re staying at the same place. Also, why would his teenage brother be on a business trip? Maybe he’s just in it for the fun to be in London.

‘I might have to go now,’ he says gesturing to Lesley who’s behind the counter, that he’d like the check.

In the meantime the guys enter the café and are coming our way.

‘Maurice, Jules, Daniel, this is Olivia Charlton,’ says Luc once they’re hovering over us. The way he introduces us is as though he didn’t want to share me with them.

‘Hi Olivia, happy to officially meet you, I’m Jules,’ says his brother with a wide smile.

‘Nice to meet you, Jules,’ I say shyly. I wonder how much he knows about me and Luc. Not that there’s much to know.

‘Hi, Miss Charlton,’ says Maurice politely. I immediately get that he isn’t excited about the encounter. What I don’t get is why he uses my last name. The way he’s staring at Luc tells me he’s cross with him. Maybe he’s Luc’s boss?

‘Hey, Olivia, I’m Daniel,’ says the slim blond guy, who seems to be about Luc’s age.

‘Are you ready to go?’ asks Maurice, intensifying his displeased stare at Luc, now completely ignoring me.

‘Yeah. Let me just …’ Luc begins, but it’s interrupted by Lesley who’s attentively and excitedly waiting for his command like a little puppy.

Luc stands up and gives her his credit card. I begin to protest, but he mouths ‘I got this.’

While Lesley and her device process the payment, Jules winks at me and says, ‘Bye, Olivia,’ and turns to follow Maurice who’s already at the door waiting impatiently for the Lamaire brothers. Daniel’s already outside on the phone.

Luc comes to me with a hypnotising gaze and whispers in my ear, ‘Sorry, I gotta go. Will I see you later?’ and faces me waiting for a reply.

I nod and he smiles. He holds my face with one hand to plant a warm kiss on my cheek and disappears to the street following the others. I watch them as they cross the street back to the building, Maurice is talking and gesticulating at Luc, while he seems to be trying to explain himself about something. My attention drifts to my phone and an incoming call from my Mum.

Chapter Eleven

‘Hi Mum,’ I say standing up from the chair and heading out of Fresh Me Up.

‘Olivia! Thank God. Where are you?’

Oh, oh.

‘What happened, Mum?’ I say alarmed that maybe something bad happened to Dad or Nate. She sounds desperate.

‘Naomi called and said you haven’t been answering her calls or Lexi’s. I also tried to call you a few times and you didn’t pick up. I just got here in your flat and you aren’t home. What’s going on?’

Mother of God!

Mum in my flat is a bad combination. She inspects everything, under the bed and even the bin. She doesn’t understand the concept of casual sex, so to avoid raising unwanted questions, I’m always careful not to leave compromising items around the place when I know she’s coming over. This time though, I didn’t have time to prepare.

‘I went out for a run and was having breakfast at the café across the street, Mum!’

I’m so indignant I almost shout as I stride across the street to head back home before she finds evidence of Luc. I mentally try to remember if Luc took all his belongings today when he left, but then I remember his T-shirt and Polo are somewhere in my bedroom and hurry up. Maybe she’s still inspecting the kitchen.

When I open the door she’s all over me like an infestation of wasps.

‘Livvy, oh my God,’ she’s so relieved to see me, I can’t even be mad at her. I almost feel bad to think the worst and compare her to a wasp.

I give her a hug and she kisses me on the cheek, possibly leaving red lipstick on my skin. Her perfume is so good and strong it has already impregnated the air, eliminating any scent of Luc that remained.

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