“Whoa, look at you,” Julian said with awe as he wrapped her in a hug and placed a respectful kiss on her cheek. His touch was becoming more familiar. “And I love your hair, by the way.”
Growing up, she’d straightened her curls for years in hopes she’d fit more with the girls she went to school with, even most of college. It wasn’t until the last few years of her life that she’d embraced her natural looks more.
Cierra blushed. “Thanks.”
He winked in response.
On the way to the theater, a small indie establishment where the workers were all aspiring actors themselves, Julian asked Cierra about her trip and demanded photos. One of the photos she displayed was a panoramic view of the villa during the party, catching all the guests in full glamor.
“Impressive event. Very chic.”
“Right?”
Julian tapped the photo, toward the far-left, where Cierra stood fully clad in her chef outfit with curls escaping her bun and a big smile.
“I bet you were by far the star of the show.” Cierra rolled her eyes at his flattery, and he kissed her hand and waggled his eyebrows. A ham, but self-aware. “I mean it. Anyone can wear a nice dress. Rented or bought. But genuine talent, your energy, that’s what makes someone shine. It’s insanely attractive.”
She glanced back at him. “Thank you. Actually, something pretty cool happened in Mexico.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
“You know that cooking show,Plated?”
“Yeah, it sounds familiar.”
“Well, one of their producers reached out, asking me to submit an application.”
“That’s amazing, so, you got scouted? Seems like a great opportunity. Are you gonna go for it?”
“I think so.” She wasn’t ready to tell him the whole sob-story of what had happened her the first time around. The ambitious, sought-after version of Cierra he knew would suffice for now.
“So, what about you?” she said, changing the topic. “What did you get up to this weekend?”
“Went to a colleague’s birthday party, his fortieth. God. Hmm, let’s see, ran in the park Saturday morning. Thought about you. And I’m thinking about starting a business,” he said casually.
“A new business? Why?”
“I don’t know, I feel like maybe I’m not doing enough with my life, you know? You get it, being an entrepreneur yourself.”
“I mean, sure, but . . .” Cierra wasn’t sure how to tastefully word the next part. “Doesn’t part of you want to just enjoy what you have?”
While his total net worth was unknown to her, two homes, a sports car, and sitting on charity boards painted a picture. With that much money, Cierra couldn’t figure out why someone would still want all that stress. What did he have left to prove? It’s not like he was at square one.
Julian gave a knowing laugh. “I guess there’s something I miss about feeling like I have a challenge, something to win. It’s how I’ve always been.”
She thought of her own challenges, the thrill she got at the sight of her first paycheck, and the suspended disbelief she felt seeing the message from Gabriel.
“What about you?” he asked. “What made you so ambitious?”
The car came to a halt. As Julian looked back to parallel park, Cierra took a minute to respond. Had anyone ever asked her that?
Had she ever wondered?
In the fifth grade, her crotchety teacher, Mrs. O’Connor, had called her parents after Cierra and a friend got caught cheating on a test. Unlike Lisa, who naturally excelled at school and had no issues focusing for hours on end, Cierra was squirrely and had a more difficult time. But Mrs. O’Connor had accused Cierra of being a “bad influence” and told Cierra’s mom as much.
“It wasn’t my idea,” little Cierra had pleaded. “We both cheated. It’s not fair that my parents got called and not hers.”
“I believe you,” her mom had said, with dejected eyes. “Sometimes, when you look different, people treat you unfairly. Sometimes, they do it without even realizing it. It’s not fair, but it’s something you need to know.”
