Page 17 of Falling for the Wrong Billionaire
Lucy walks out of the office, her hands full with a few files she’s gathered. She glances at me, and that soft smile she gives me? Yeah, that’s when I realize just how deep I’ve gone into this. She’s been kind enough to make small talk about the techdetails, and she’s handled herself professionally. But that smile, it makes me think of everything I’ve been ignoring about what I’m feeling.
“Thanks for shopping with me the other day,” she says as she walks past me, her voice gentle. She doesn’t meet my eyes, but there’s something about her tone that makes my chest tighten. “I really appreciated it.”
I can’t stop the grin that pulls at my lips. “Of course. It was... nice. I enjoyed it.”
Her steps falter for a second, and I can tell she’s trying to mask the effect my words have on her. It’s a small, fleeting moment, but I notice it.
“I’ll give Emma the updates,” she continues, her voice a little quieter. “She’ll want to know how things are going.”
I nod, forcing myself to focus on the conversation, on anything but the way her voice makes me want to stop her, ask her to say more, to spend more time with me. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it,” I say, keeping my voice neutral.
But before I can finish what I’m saying, the door to the clinic opens, and in walks Liz with Max in tow. Liz beams when she sees me, and I step forward to greet them.
“Liam!” Liz says, pulling me into a quick hug. “How are you, sweetheart?”
Max, holding Buddy’s leash, waves up at me, his little face lighting up. “Hi, Liam!”
I smile, my heart softening as I crouch to give Max a high five. “Hey, Max. How’s Buddy doing?”
Max grins. “He’s doing good! Mom said we need to get his meds.”
Liz laughs. “He’s been a handful lately. A little more energetic than usual.”
I straighten up and turn back to Lucy, who’s still standing a few feet away. I realize I haven’t introduced them yet.
“Lucy,” I say, my voice a little too casual, trying to act like this is just another normal introduction, “this is Liz and Max. Liz is married to my friend Nate, and Max—” I ruffle the boy’s hair, “—is their terrific son.”
Lucy looks at them, her smile a little uncertain. “Nice to meet you both,” she says, her voice soft.
Max doesn’t hesitate. He looks up at me, his eyes bright. “Is Lucy your new friend?”
My breath catches in my throat. I look at Lucy, who’s now blushing, clearly caught off guard.
I laugh, trying to keep the situation light. “Yeah, she’s my new friend,” I say, unable to resist the slight teasing in my tone.
Lucy’s face flushes even more, and she clears her throat. “I—uh, I’ll just go check on the ferrets,” she says, her voice faltering slightly.
I watch her go, feeling the tension rise in the air. I want to say something, anything, to keep the moment going, but I don’t. Instead, I turn back to Liz and Max, pretending I didn’t just watch Lucy walk away with that little blush on her face.
Liz catches my eye, her smile turning knowingly. “You know,” she says, not missing a beat, “you could bring Lucy to the barbecue during our next hangout. You should bring her along.”
I pause, caught off guard. It’s not that I’m not thinking about it. It’s that I’m already thinking about it, more than I should be. I don’t want to seem too eager, but I know exactly what Liz is doing. She’s giving me a nudge. An invitation to see if this thing between Lucy and me is real.
“I’ll think about it,” I say, trying to sound casual. “I’ll talk to her.”
Liz gives me a knowing smile, and I know exactly what she’s thinking. She wouldn’t have extended the invitation if she didn’t consider Lucy important to me in some way. But I’m not ready for that. Not yet.
Max tugs at Liz’s sleeve, and she looks at me one last time before they walk toward Emma in the other room. I’m left standing there, my thoughts swirling.
I walk toward the door, my mind still racing. I’m about to leave when I see Lucy again, walking toward me. She’s not looking at me, but her steps slow when she notices me waiting. I’m not sure what to say, not sure how to handle this anymore.
I can feel the space between us, the wall that’s forming, and it’s like I’m fighting against something I don’t understand. The attraction is there, but so is the fear. The uncertainty of what this means.
“Thanks again for today,” she says, her voice quieter than usual. “I’ll catch up with you later about the updates.”
I nod, my hands itching to reach out to her, to pull her closer, but I stay still. “Anytime, Lucy.”
And then, before I can stop myself, I ask, “You okay?”
