Page 60 of One Baddie for Three Daddies

"Move," I mutter under my breath, trying to break free from this emotional paralysis. But I can't pull myself away.

Instead, I linger, eyes locked on Bianca. She's engrossed in her work, talking animatedly with her colleagues, but there's a weight to her shoulders I can't ignore. It’s like seeing a vibrant painting dulled by time. My heart clenches—an unwelcome reminder of what we had and lost.

Shaking my head, I take a step back, willing myself to turn away. I can't believe I spaced on the meeting with Alex. We’ve got investors waiting, and here I am, standing like an idiot across the street, unable to move.

One last look back at Bianca. Her fingers drum absently on the table. She used to do that when she was nervous or deep in thought. The knowledge of her mannerisms tugs at something inside me.

“Get it together, Liam,” I mutter under my breath.

With a sigh, I stride towards my car, the pavement hard and unforgiving beneath my feet. The salty tang of the ocean hangs in the air, mixing with the faint scent of coffee wafting from the shop. I reach my car and yank open the door, sliding into the driver’s seat.

My phone buzzes again—another text from Alex.

Seriously dude, where are you?

I shoot back a quick reply: On my way. Five minutes.

Starting the engine, I glance once more at the coffee shop through the rearview mirror. Bianca's silhouette fades as I pull into traffic. It’s not like we can just pretend none of this ever happened, but we have to find a way to coexist. For now, professionalism is all we have.

As I drive towards our office building, my mind drifts back to the ease with which we fell back into old rhythms and the promise that seemed to hang between the four of us, and how quickly it all fell apart again.

By the time I reach the office parking lot, Alex is waiting outside, pacing like a caged lion.

“You finally decided to show up,” he says as I step out of the car.

“Got held up,” I reply tersely. “Let’s get this over with.”

He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t press further. We walk into the building together, shoulders brushing as we stride down the hallway toward the conference room.

“I saw her,” I admit quietly as we approach the door.

Alex glances at me sideways. “How’d she look?”

“Tired,” I say simply.

He nods but doesn’t comment further. We push through the conference room doors together, putting on our professional faces for another round with investors who only see dollar signs and potential profits.

Inside, it’s all business—the hum of negotiations and discussions filling every corner of my mind except that small part still lingering on Bianca across town.

But that’s where she has to stay for now—across town and out of mind—or at least out of immediate reach until we figure out how to move forward without tearing ourselves apart again.

26

BIANCA

As I glance up from my sketches, I spot Liam across the street, sliding into his sleek car. A jolt shoots through me, making my pulse quicken. What is he doing here? Is he watching me? My heart does a weird flip, and I find myself gripping the edge of the table to steady my suddenly unsteady self.

"Bianca?" Sarah snaps me back to reality. "What do you think about the color scheme for the lobby?"

"Uh, right," I mumble, dragging my gaze back to the table. "I think we should go with something bold—like deep teal with gold accents. It'll make a statement."

Sarah nods, scribbling in her notebook. But my mind's already wandered off again, stuck on Liam.

"Are you okay?" Sarah's voice cuts through my thoughts again. "You seem a little... distracted."

I force a smile. "Just thinking about how to make this project perfect."

She gives me a knowing look but lets it slide. The rest of the meeting drags on with talk of fabric swatches and furniture layouts, but I'm not really present.

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