Page 32

Lila
“Are you going out for lunch today?” I ask.
“Nope, sorry,” Angela says. “I’ve been sent in with Sunday dinner leftovers as usual.”
I sigh, glancing across at Carter, who is mid-video call with Harrison, all charming grin and flirty eye contact like he’s auditioning forLove Island: Office Edition.I roll my eyes.
Outside, the sky is grey and cloudy, and the bare tree branches sway ever so slightly, like even the wind can’t be bothered today.
“Fine,” I mutter, pushing back from my desk. “I’ll go grab a salad. You want anything?”
“I’m good, thanks. See you in a bit.” Angela gives me a quick wave as she focuses on her screen.
Walking to the stairs, the memory of my first day at Catalyst pops into my head. Out of almost a hundred people in the company, Marcus’s name was the only one I had remembered.
He’d stood up from his desk, those blue-grey eyes meeting mine with a polite but curious intensity as he shook my hand. Even now, Ican still picture the way his presence had filled my mind – confident, composed, magnetic.
And when he smiled,God,the thrill it sent through my body, like a fire that burned my veins.
For two years, I’ve been dreaming about him, savouring every casual encounter, every small smile in the lift, every morning in the coffee shop.
And now I may have ruined it all. Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I take a deep breath, stepping out into the cold.
My eyes are glued to my phone as I scroll through TikTok, deliberately tuning out the world around me. I push through the door of my favourite deli, the delicious scent of freshly baked bread and the tangy aroma of crisp vegetables from the salad bar making my stomach growl. The sound of a blender whirs to life as though it’s calling my name.
Still laughing at a video of cats dramatically falling off kitchen counters, I walk straight into someone, not noticing them just closing the fridge door.
“I’m so sorry,” I start - when the person turns around and my heart stops.
“Lila, hey.”
Marcus is standing in front of me, every part of him glowing with flawless perfection. He flashes that familiar smile, his hand gently on my arm as he steadies me, and my knees wobble like they’ve never supported me a day in their life.
“H – hi…” I manage to force out, but my mind has gone completely blank and I can’t think of another word to say.
“Are you alright?” he asks, looking at me with a warmth that makes my breath catch, as if I hadn’t just made things horribly awkward between us for the rest of forever when I kissed him the other night.
“I… yea, I’m okay, thanks.”
Breathe,I remind myself. “You?”
“Yea. Just grabbing some lunch.”
I nod. “Same.”
He surveys the café for a moment, like he’s trying to decide something, then looks back at me, that smile completely short-circuiting my brain.
“I was going to take mine back to the office, but… would you like to stay and eat here? If you have time, that is,” he asks.
My pulse takes off like a runaway train.This can’t be real.
“I… yea…okay.”
“Great.” His smile grows wider and God, I swear his eyes have a literal sparkle in them.
Not fair. Completely, criminally not fair. How can one person be so fucking beautiful?
“What are you having?” he asks, stepping up to the counter.