Page 8 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
We step into Emma’s office, and I take a seat across from her, pulling out the files I’ve brought along. I’m already flipping through the pages, preparing myself to get into business mode. I don’t really expect anything more than a simple discussion, a few pointers from Emma, and then I’ll be on my way.
Just as I’m about to speak, the door swings open, and I hear a soft voice.
“Excuse me.”
I glance up, my words dying in my throat.
It’s her. Lucy.
I didn’t expect to see her today, not here, and certainly not standing in the doorway like she’s somehow stumbled into this moment by accident.
She hesitates when she sees me, just for a second, and that’s enough to make my stomach twist. Her hair is pulled back loosely today, her face softer than I remember. She looks... different, but in a good way. I can’t quite place it, but something about the way she stands there makes the air between us feel charged.
I’m not sure what to say at first, but before I can gather my thoughts, Emma looks between the two of us, clearly sensing the awkward tension.
“Do you two know each other?” she asks casually, her voice light, oblivious to the momentary stillness in the air.
Lucy glances at me, then at Emma. "No," she says quickly, her voice almost too soft. "We just… met briefly the other day."
I’m still watching her, trying to gauge how she’s feeling. The way she’s acting now is completely different from how she was when we first met. Her shyness is more pronounced today, like she’s unsure of how to handle the situation.
I can’t help myself. I feel the need to explain, to clear the air. "We met in town last week," I say, my voice a little more relaxed now that I’ve had a second to process the surprise. "I was there for my morning walk and, uh, we ended up talking for a minute."
Emma looks between us with a knowing smile. “Well, that explains it. Small town, right?”
Lucy smiles faintly, her cheeks flushing just the slightest bit. “Yeah. Small town.” She stands there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of how to proceed.
I realize I might be making her uncomfortable, so I quickly adjust my posture, trying to make things feel less tense. "I didn’t realize you were working here," I say, the words slipping out before I can stop myself. The realization hits me like a wave. If she’s working here now, that means she’ll be in town for the foreseeable future. She’s not just passing through.
She seems surprised by my reaction but nods, almost shyly. “Yeah, I’ve been working here for a few days now.”
I try to mask my surprise, but I can’t help the way it shifts my mood. She’s staying. In Bayview. And I don’t know why, but that knowledge sparks something inside me. Something I wasn’t expecting.
"Well, that’s good," I say, trying to keep it casual. "I’ll definitely be around more often then."
Lucy gives me a quick smile but then looks away, as if she wants to disappear into the floor. "I should… I should get back to work," she says, almost stumbling over the words.
I watch her retreat toward the back of the clinic, and a part of me wants to call her back, ask her to stay, but I hold myself in check. I don’t even know why I’m feeling this way. She’s just a woman I met a week ago. Just someone I spoke with for a few minutes.
But the way she’s so gentle with everything she does, how she moves through the clinic with that quiet grace — it’s pulling me in more than I care to admit.
Emma turns back to me, her attention fully back on the business at hand. “So, about the tech upgrades…”
I nod, trying to focus on the task. "Right. I’ve got a few new gadgets in mind for the clinic. Some digital check-ins for clients, maybe a few upgrades to the patient tracking system. But I wanted to hear your thoughts on the best approach."
We dive into the tech details, but my mind keeps wandering back to Lucy. I try to push the thoughts away, but they keep resurfacing. How she looked, how she spoke. There’s something about her that’s pulling at me in a way I haven’t felt in a long time.
And then I catch myself. I realize I’m not thinking about the upgrades anymore. I’m thinking about her.
After a while, Emma finishes going over the project with me, and I feel a strange sense of reluctance. It’s time to go. I’ve spent more time than I intended here, but I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to let this moment pass without seeing her again, without having the chance to understand what it is that’s drawing me in.
“Alright, I’ll handle the rest from here,” I say, standing up from my seat, even when I should have told Emma I'm handing the project to someone else. But the thought of seeing Lucy againis enough for me to do this project myself. I’m already making a mental note to come back. To be around more.
Emma stands, smiling. “I’m sure the team will love the upgrades. Thanks for coming by.”
I nod, but my mind is elsewhere. “No problem. I’ll see you around,” I say, giving Emma a hug.
As I walk toward the door, I can’t help but glance back once more toward the back of the clinic. I see Lucy at the far end of the room, bent over a desk, her attention on something.
