Page 5 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

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.”

3

LIAM

Iwalk out of the conference room with Alex, my mind spinning. The image of Bianca in that tailored pantsuit, those heels clicking against the polished floor, burns into my brain.

"Man, can you believe that?" Alex shakes his head, looking just as shocked as I am.

I don't respond. Instead, I keep replaying the moment she walked in, how composed she looked. Her braids swinging as she moved with confidence, completely at ease. It’s like she doesn’t even remember the mess she left behind. My jaw clenches just thinking about it. Alex nudges me, clearly trying to snap me out of my daze.

"Hey, you good?" he asks, his brow furrowed with concern. I force a nod, even though I'm anything but. How the hell am I supposed to be good when Bianca just waltzed back into our lives like nothing happened?

Alex’s voice fades into the background as memories crash over me. The last time I saw Bianca, she was standing on the beach, the sun setting behind her. Her laughter mingled with the sound of the waves. It was a perfect evening—or so I thought.

We’d spent the day talking about dreams, future plans, things that seemed so real back then. She mentioned wanting to start her own interior design business one day. We talked about Alex, James and I opening our real estate company. We were on the same wavelength, or so it seemed.

Then she vanished. No warning, no explanation. Just gone.

Seeing her today ripped open that box. All those emotions came flooding back like a tidal wave. The shock in her eyes when she saw us matched my own, but she quickly masked it with that professional façade of hers.

Bianca didn’t even show up to our graduation party. James, Alex and I spent four years together, hustling through classes, pulling all-nighters, dreaming about what we’d do after we tossed our caps in the air. When we met Bianca, she'd blended seamlessly into the fold.

Alex nudges me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blink and realize I’ve been standing here, staring at nothing.

"Earth to Liam," Alex says, his tone light but his eyes searching. "You good, man?"

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog. "Yeah, yeah. Just... fuck, that was weird."

"Tell me about it." He lets out a low whistle. "I mean, of all the people we could have hired, it had to be her."

"Of all the people," I repeat, still reeling from the shock. "How does that even happen? We’re in a city full of designers and she’s the one that walks through that door?"

Alex chuckles softly, but there’s an edge to it. "The universe has a fucked up sense of humor, doesn’t it?"

I look over at him, noting the way his jaw tightens slightly. He’s trying to play it off, but I know him too well.

"You think she’s here to fuck with us?" I ask.

Alex shrugs. "I don’t think so. She seemed just as surprised as we were."

I nod slowly. "Yeah. She did look pretty shocked."

He runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Even so, after all this time? It’s hard to wrap my head around."

"No kidding," I mutter. "One minute she’s gone without a trace, and now she’s back like nothing happened."

Alex leans against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Guess we’ll have to see how this plays out. But man, it’s going to be a trip working with her."

"Understatement of the fucking year," I reply dryly.

He smirks at me, but there’s something deeper in his gaze—something thoughtful. "Hey, at least her designs are killer. Gotta give her that."

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