Page 16

“You could stay with us!” Bella blurted out, putting a stop to my spiraling thoughts.

She could. She so could, and I wanted her to so badly .

“I’m sure Juliette doesn't want to stay at her place of work,” I said quickly.

A bit too quickly.

Juliette laughed and leaned against Bella. The sound of it brushed against my skin, heating it. Embarrassment had my ears burning. I was being way too obvious, and Juliette clocked it, hard.

“That’s sweet of you, Bella, but I need to find my own place.”

Right. Of course. I cleared my throat.

“I mean, if it’s an emergency, you can stay with us… for the time being,” I said after a pause. “You know, if you don't have a place.”

Juliette looked up at me, her thoughts clear on her face.

That would be an epically bad idea, Lux.

I knew it, but what kind of person would I be if I just let her struggle?

I imagined her close, just a door away. I could sneak into her room in the middle of the night. No one would know. We could keep it to ourselves. Our dirty little secret in the dark.

“And it’d be easier for you to be near Bella,” I added, shifting in my seat.

“Yeah, we could have sleepovers!” Bella added enthusiastically.

Juliette laughed again, and I could feel the heat working its way up my neck. She knew exactly what I wanted.

Her.

“Thank you, Lux. I’ll consider it,” she said as she pulled her phone out. “Bella, it’s about time we go. Go wash your hands in the bathroom. Don’t want to get pie filling all over that pretty dress of yours.”

Bella bounded off to the bathroom while Juliette and I got up in silence. I paid the bill at the counter, lost in thought.

“That would be a terrible idea, you know,” she finally said.

The worst, honestly.

“Oh, I know.” I turned around to look at her. “I’m just doing my job as a concerned employer.”

I couldn't help but smile at Juliette’s incredulous look.

“Uh-huh, I’m sure that’s all you want.”

“It is!” I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop myself from touching her but leaned forward, keeping our eye contact.

“What?” she asked with a raised brow and leaned back.

I took one more selfish look at her. Today, her hair was pulled back, with small braids on the side of her temples that disappeared behind her ears.

The rest of her hair sat in light waves on her shoulders.

She was wearing a purple pastel top and a long, white skirt with purple flowers embroidered on it.

I wondered how we looked together. Such polar opposites. I almost never wore anything other than black or deep jewel tones. My hair was black. My eyes were dark.

Juliette was pretty and angelic, not to mention she smelled like fresh flowers. Lilies, I thought.

Her eyes shifted to the side and back to mine. It was quick, but I caught the hesitation in her stare.

“Are you actually considering it?” I asked, teasing heavy in my tone. There was a burst of excitement that shot through me at the thought.

“You offered,” she said with a shrug.

“It’s my duty to make sure my child’s nanny is taken care of,” I said, and both of us noticed my slip of the tongue right away.

My child. I’d never called Bella that before. Because she really wasn't; she was my sister's kid. It just came out so easily.

“Right… Or maybe you just want to take advantage of me.” She rolled her eyes at me. “Obsessed much?”

She was obviously trying to save me from that slipup. Maybe she saw just how conflicted and panicky I was after saying it. I appreciated her attempt to lighten the mood, but I had too much to unpack with the last sentence.

“I would say you’re actually obsessed with me.” I crossed my arms. “Here I am, a concerned employer, while you’re actually considering moving in with us. Do I need to start locking my door at night to stop you from sneaking into my bed?”

A small smile played on her lips at that. It would likely be me sneaking into her bed at night, and we both knew it.

Obsessed. She was right. There was no other word for it.

I was looking forward to her reply when Bella came running back to us, excited to leave

“Let’s go!” she said and grabbed Juliette’s hand, pulling her back to the car.

An unnamed emotion started bubbling inside my chest as I watched them together.

I’d never been able to be like that with Bella, neither before nor after the death of her parents. Bella had never been that open or touchy-feely with me. There had always been a space between us, whether physical or emotional, I didn’t know. But I knew I was to blame for that.

I wasn't like Juliette. I couldn’t talk about my emotions or help Bella deal with hers. I wouldn’t know where to start.

The only times she’d get close to me were when she was knocked out and I was transferring her to her bed. Maybe she cuddled against me for a moment because she forgot who I was and why she was stuck with me. And even those moments were short-lived.

My chest burned. Was this… jealousy ?

I didn’t have time for that.

With a sigh, I left the diner and watched as Juliette and Bella got into the driver’s car. Mine was waiting on the other end of the parking lot. Just like that, we were going to part ways, and this lunch date would be over.

Just as Juliette was about to duck in, I made the decision to follow her.

“Auntie Lux! What are you doing?” Bella asked, a small frown on her face.

“What? I can’t spend time with my niece?’

Bella pouted. “It’s just… You’ve never seen me off to school before.”

I could feel Juliette's staring at me, but I couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Today is different,” I said with a huff. I met Marci’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Drop her off and then drive me back here. I left my car.”

“Yes, sir.”

The car ride was silent. Obviously, my presence was interrupting their little routine, and neither Bella nor Juliette knew what to say.

Is my presence really that awkward?

When we got there, Juliette got out of the car with Bella and stood outside, watching her go in.

Bella paused for a second to send me a small wave, and my chest felt warm. Even more so when I waved back at her and a small smile was on her lips before she turned and ran inside.

Only when Juliette got back into the car and we were alone did I come to regret my decision. The space suddenly felt too small. Too tight.

I didn’t know what to talk to her about. Didn’t know where to start.

The driver was already pulling away and heading back to the diner.

“What will you do after this?” Juliette asked casually, as if the tension between us wasn't stifling.

“Work,” I said a bit too harshly. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat.

“I have a few meetings. Some with the board. Another with the head of marketing. And then right before I left, someone decided to tell me that they fucked up majorly on one of the transparency reports. After that, I’ll be home. ”

“I know you’re some big shot CEO… But what about having dinner with Bella?”

I looked at Juliette, our eyes catching. I hadn’t realized I was leaning closer and closer until our faces were almost touching.

“She has Gina,” I murmured. “I'll be honest. I'm not much of a cook.”

Juliette gave me a look before looking away and shaking her head.

“I mean as company. But that’s okay, I’ll be there anyway.”

I paused at her words. They made me feel uneasy.

“What do you mean?” I asked. “Should I be there?”

Juliette was silent for a moment before she looked at me.

“It would be best for the family to eat together. Good for you and her to bond. I can tell she’s been feeling a bit lonely.”

My chest twisted. I couldn’t remember having dinner with anyone other than for business. I would usually come home late and have no time to eat, so I grabbed something quick and called it a day.

Even back when I was younger and still living with my mother, I would desperately try to skip mealtimes because I never wanted to talk to her. My sister was different. She would go to every single meal.

But she was always the favorite and Mother never lectured her like she did me.

It had shaped the way I saw family dinners, and I’d never thought twice about eating alone after that. But I also never thought about what Bella wanted.

“I’ll work on it,” I said and pulled out my phone. I had a meeting at five-thirty, so I canceled it.

Dinner it is.