I’ve showered, spritzed dry shampoo for volume, and now Anna is curling my hair while I sit, trying not to fidget.
Gemma’s in her room, sifting through her wardrobe to find me an outfit. I’m just hoping she doesn’t come out with lingerie.
I’m meeting Lucas in an hour at the Daily Grind. If there’s one good thing that’s going to come out of this, it’s that I’ll at least get an almond croissant.
I’m focusing on the positives.
Months ago, the thought of meeting him would’ve had me buzzing with excitement. But now? I just want to get this over with. There’s no anticipation left, only a heavy feeling in my chest and a desire to move past whatever this is once and for all.
“Ah ha!” Gemma shouts excitedly from her room.
“You know she’s going to dress you like a hooker, right?” Anna says as she curls the last section of my hair.
I press my lips together to stop my laugh.
“I heard that!” Gemma calls out before marching into the bathroom, holding two sets of hangers aloft. “Alright, we’ve got two options. Option one: cute skirt and cropped top combo. Personally, I think your waist iskiller, and this silk skirt is going to show it off. Plus, it’ll look super chic with the white trainers you wore here last night. Now, I don’t have much to work with in the footwear department because your feet are the size of surfboards, but I think it’ll do.”
She pauses, then lifts the second outfit. “Option two: this skintight midi. Again, all about that waist, and this one has the bonus of showing off that ass. Honestly, April, you could bounce a penny off that thing. I don’t know why you don’t show it offmore. You could throw a denim jacket over it and wear the same shoes. Personally, I think they’re both solid choices.”
Anna narrows her eyes suspiciously, peering around Gemma’s arm. “What’s behind the dress?”
“Oh, this?” Gemma says with mock innocence, pulling out something black and lacy. “In case you were feeling frisky, I’ve also got this lace bodysuit and mini school skirt. You know, just throwing it out there. Could be a fun backup plan.” She shrugs.
“I’m not wearing lingerie to coffee with my ex-fiancé after sleeping with his brother,” I deadpan.
“Slag,” Anna says, coughing into her hand.
My mouth drops open, and I place a hand over my heart, feigning offense. “Howdareyou!” I say dramatically, but we all burst out laughing. I cut in with a mischievous grin. “Lucas was an ass guy. I think I’ll go with the dress and denim jacket … Anna, what do you think?”
She smirks, already knowing where I’m going with this. “Hell yeah, flaunt that ass and remind him exactly what he’s lost.”
Chapter 31
April
It’s not until I round the corner to the café that my stomach stirs, but I raise my chin and tell the pesky nerves to fuck right off. I can do this.
I opted for the skintight black midi dress and my white trainers. I’ve folded a cropped denim jacket over my arm, just in case. The sun is shining, so I want to take advantage of the warmth and show off as much of my figure as I can. My hair is curled into relaxed beach waves, which bounce lightly against my ribs with every step, and I’ve slathered my skin in cocoa and shea butter lotion. I smell fantastic.
My make-up is simple but pretty. I’ve dusted soft pink blush across my cheeks for a hint of colour and added a thin coat of mascara to make my blue eyes pop. A pink glossy lip ties it all together. I feelreallygood about how I look.
The bell above the door chimes as I step inside, and the usual barista glances up, doing a double take before flashing me a wide, beaming smile. “Hi,” he says, his eyes sweeping me from head to toe, appreciatively. “You look great, April!”
He’s handsome, but in a more understated way.
I blush under his gaze, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Hi,” I manage, giving a small wave.
I scan the room, my stomach flipping when I find Lucas. The moment he sees me, he swallows hard, his jaw clenching as he adjusts the lapels of his jacket before standing to greet me. Instead of giving him a hug, I drop into the chair opposite his.
He’s clearly made an effort. I smell his usual Ted Baker cologne—citrus and black pepper. His cropped chestnut hair is tousled perfectly with just the right amount of product. He’s dressed in a simple yellow T-shirt under a casual grey jacket, which he’s paired with blue jeans and beige trainers. As always, he looks neat, polished, and completely put together. The total opposite of his brother.
He’s so proper, it almost seems staged. But instead of nerves and nostalgia, there’s a strange sense of distance, like I’m looking at someone I used to know rather than the man who was once my home.
Maybe Anna was right—there’s nothing remarkable about him at all. It’s almost as if the shine and magic I once saw in him were never his; they’d always come from me. From the hope that we could build something spectacular together.
But after spending time with James, being here with Lucas now feels so … wrong. So lacking. There’s nothing staged about James—no calculated effort to impress or mould himself into some perfect image. James is unfiltered. There’s something about him, something honest and unpretentious, and it’s there for everyone to see.
Maybe, deep down, it’s always been about finding something we’ve been searching for within ourselves. James has it, and for the first time, I think I’ve finally found it too.
