Page 84 of Heart Match

‘Now say that looking me in the eyes and convince me,’ he says.

‘Damn it Luc, just leave it,’ I hiss.

He hesitates for a second, and says, ‘You know, I’m not him. I’ll never hurt you like he did. Just, remember that.’ Now he sounds angry.

I close my eyes, taking in the pain of hearing him say those words. I don’t reply. I just watch him hurt like the devil I am. Sometimes I wonder how my heart still manages to beat when it’s surrounded by so many layers of iron.

He stands there for one more second, his eyes not wanting to leave mine, maybe still hoping I change my mind.

Once he fully gives up and turns to leave, I say, ‘Good luck tomorrow. I know how much this match means to you.’

He doesn’t even look back when he says, ‘Goodbye, Olivia,’ as he begins to climb up the stairs back to his apartment. Is this the last time I’m seeing him do this?

One day this man will belong to one lucky bitch. He will ask her, too, whether she wants to fuck or make love, he will take her to fancy private dinners, she will get to meet his family and see his home, she will get to travel with him and cheer for him during his matches, they will celebrate his wins together, he will cook his grandma’s recipe and tell her the same story about its secret, only this girl will get to have that recipe and he will marry her. He will declare his love for her in front of everyone, and I will be reading about it on the news.

Will I be wondering what would it have been like if I said yes to us? Or will I be smiling and thinking how he deserved to find someone that has a place for him in her life?

Chapter Twenty-Five

I almost didn’t get any sleep last night. Instead of succumbing to my thoughts, I worked my brains out on my presentation for Monday. My biological clock makes me wake up at 5:00 am today even though my alarm isn’t set. Before I begin to think too much, I get up and go for a run. It feels like forever since the last time I went running.

It’s so quiet outside. I’m glad. It feels quieter than my mind. London’s still sleeping, only the birds seem to be awake with me. As I begin to run, focused on the path, my thoughts begin coming one by one, and I take my time to deal with them. Work. Josh. Luc. Luc. Luc. Then it’s all about Luc until I clear my head and decide it’s time to get back and have my smoothie. I don’t even remember the last time I had one.

Today Lesley’s there and, of course, I have to tell her what I’m having. No surprise. I’ve lost hope in her.

She’s watching me with a weird grin on her face, she never grins at me. I might know the reason, so I don’t bother asking. She offers an answer anyways.

‘Saw you on the news,’ she says handing me my smoothie.

I shoot her a fake smile.

‘The other day, a guy, a reporter or photographer, not sure, came asking about you.’

I was about to turn and leave when she said it.

‘What do you mean?’

‘He was asking if I knew who you were, and if I’d seen you … you know, with him,’ she winks at me.

Of course he did.

‘And what did you tell him?’ My curiosity is bigger than my desire to ignore her.

By the look on her face and her expression, I know she was the one who leaked my name to the press.

‘I might have told him your name,’ she says, wincing.

I sigh. Now who’d have guessed that Lesley, who can’t even remember my usual order, would be the one to remember my name at the most inconvenient time?

‘Sorry,’ she says with a guilty face.

I let out my most sarcastic smirk.

‘Whatever,’ I say, turning to leave. What’s done it’s done, right?

Before I reach for the door handle I look back and tell her, ‘At least you’ve got his autograph.’

‘Oh, and a selfie too,’ she looks proud, innocent, and in that moment I realise Lesley’s just naive, not stupid. And I confirm the fact that Luc never gave her his phone number, not that I had any doubt.

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