Page 85 of Heart Match

Just as the lift doors open, I bump into Jules. As soon as he sees me, a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. His smile and his eyes are identical to his brother’s, but younger.

‘Hey, Olivia,’ he says.

‘Hi, Jules,’ I say, a bit shy, something I’m normally not. I wonder how much he knows about me and Luc.

‘Funny, I’m headed to the café to get the same thing for Luc.’

I smile at him. My heart feels the pain of hearing his name. Will I ever be able to drink this smoothie again without thinking about him?

The doors almost close, but he holds them open. I’m not sure what else he has to say.

‘You know, I told him to tell you as soon as he realised you didn’t know,’ he says with a guilty expression. This makes me like him even more, this younger version of Luc.

‘That’s ok, Jules. It was his decision.’

‘I know,’ he says.

I step onto the lift and press the button. He’s still blocking the doors.

‘Would it have made any difference if he had told you sooner?’ he asks.

So he knows.

‘I don’t know. It still wouldn’t change the fact that he’s famous.’

‘Right,’ he says, studying my face for a second. ‘You know, he’s still a person despite the fame. There’s so much about him you don’t know,’ he says, his expression changing from hopeful to disappointed.

I feel a pang in my heart. For some reason I’m disappointed in myself for disappointing Jules. Why? I have no idea.

‘So it seems,’ I say, more to myself than to him.

‘He likes you, he really does. Just thought you should know,’ he finishes his sentence just as the doors begin to close again, this time he steps out of the way and lets them close without an answer from my side.

#

After a long shower that has failed to help me organise my thoughts, I dress and get ready for lunch. Nate’s supposed to pick me up and will be downstairs at any moment now.

I grab my purse and check my bangs in the mirror on the way out. As soon as I open the door I bump into Mrs. Thompson and her caretaker, a young girl that is helping her walk past her door.

‘Morning Mrs. Thompson,’ I say and nod politely to her caretaker.

‘Good morning, Olivia,’ says Mrs. Thompson.

The lift arrives and I hold the door open for the two.

‘Going for a walk?’ I ask her once we’re in the lift.

‘Yes. Are you going to watch your boyfriend play?’ she asks with an excited grin on her face.

‘My boyfriend? Oh no, he’s not my boyfriend,’ I say, embarrassed, blushing.

‘Why not?’ she asks curious.

If only it was that easy.

‘It’s complicated.’

‘Love, complicated was having a boyfriend in a war zone not knowing if he’d ever reply to the latest letter. If that letter had arrived at all,’ she actually smirks at that, making me smile too.

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