So I take a breath and pick up.
MADDIE
Remi’s face appears on screen just as I was about to give up. I know this isn’t the time we agreed to talk, but it was the first quiet moment I’d managed to steal all day, and I couldn’t waste it.
Who am I kidding?
The truth is, the thought of speaking to Remi was eating me alive. I couldn’t wait another second.
What I need to say is too important. And for days, I’ve been torn apart by the anxiety of how he might respond.
But the moment I see him, even pixelated and blurred through the screen, I’m flooded with emotion: desire, longing, and that familiar awe at how effortlessly beautiful he is. His hair is still damp, dark strands falling across his forehead. His eyes are tired, shadowed, but still warm. Still him.
I shouldn’t be surprised he’s awake this early. It’s Saturday morning in London. He usually starts the day with a gym session.
“Remi… baby… I’m sorry for the timing. I just got a break from work and figured I’d try my luck.”
He gives me a hesitant smile, those hazel eyes a little dimmer than usual, but still comforting like melted chocolate. I want so badly to reach through the screen and touch him. To remind him I’m still here. That we’re still us.
“I just got out of the shower,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t pick up right away. No big plans this morning, just heading to the gym later. Tonight… Seb and I are meeting the others at Blackbird for dinner. So maybe it’s good you called now.”
My heart skips at the mention of Sebastian, and I can’t help but clap my hands, grinning.
“Oh yes! I was hoping to ask how things are going with him. Sounds like he’s fitting in beautifully with the group!”
Remi nods, but there’s something reserved in his expression.
“I knew it! Iknewyou’d all love him.”
I feel this rush of happiness, knowing Seb’s surrounded by people who care, bymypeople. Even if I’m not there, he’s in good hands.
Anne, especially, I never doubted she’d look out for him. Underneath all that sass, she’s got one of the kindest hearts I know. But the fact thatRemiis also keeping his promise to look after Seb… it means the world to me.
Still, Remi seems strangely tense. Maybe he’s just tired. With uni and no one at home to ground him, he’s probably been working overtime.
“Where’s Seb, anyway? Still asleep? I don’t believe it.”
“He was wiped out by the end of the week,” Remi replies, stretching his neck. “The conservatoire’s pushing him hard.”
“Wiped out? Doesn’t sound like the Sebastian I remember…” I laugh, shaking my head. “He used to sneak out every chance he got. Party animal.”
“Guess he’s grown up,” Remi murmurs. “He’s got a lot on his plate these days.”
I nod but press on; time is short, and I can’t delay this any longer. I draw a deep breath.
“Remi, sweetheart, I’ve got to get back to work soon, auction prep; you know how stressful it gets. But before that, I need to tell you something.”
He stops me. “Me too, Mads.”
“Oh… well, go ahead then.”
“No, no, you first,” he says after a pause.
My stomach tightens, but I forge ahead.
“My job here… it’s going really well. Better than I imagined.”
“I never doubted it. You’ve always been a star, Maddie. Hard-working and driven.”
