One thing I do know is that it’s going to suck to sit in the same room where, three days ago, I was having the most amazing and most heartbreaking kiss of my life.
The kiss to end all kisses. Literally, because I’m done. These lips are hanging up their proverbial lip balm for good.
I tell myself it’s fine as I drive through the security gate, and again when I park my car and sit there for a bit because I’m early. I tell myself it will all be okay as I walk into the building and get my badge.
Translation: I’m a liar.
I take a breath before entering the conference room, my heart feeling heavy in my chest.
And there he is. Luke. Sitting on the side of the large table that he always sits on, his hands in his lap, looking lost in thought as he stares at something across the room.
He turns his head toward me, and my stomach twists. He’s so handsome in a gray suit, a shadow of stubble on his jaw, like he didn’t have time to shave this morning.
“Claire,” he says simply.
“Luke,” I say, his name sounding breathy to hopefully only me.
His eyes meet mine for a beat, and I look for something—a flicker of recognition of what we had building between us.
There’s nothing. Not a thing. No teasing grin, no calling me “Archie.” No sly comment or underhanded compliment. Just . . . nothing.
When he looks away, I blink rapidly, feeling slightly sick to my stomach.
Pull yourself together, Claire.
I take a seat on the other side of the table.
The silence is thick as we wait for everyone else to join us. I almost ask him a benign question to see how far the curse has taken things. I’ve never gotten to this part—the afterward part. I don’t know what happens next. Is there a flicker of remembrance there? Something niggling at the back of his mind? Or just nothing at all?
But Bailey and River enter the room before I can, holding hands before they separate and take their seats across the table from one another.
Bailey gives me a bright smile when she sits down next to me.
Victoria and Paul enter next, going to the head of the table as always.
“Let’s begin,” Victoria says after she puts on her glasses and holds up the piece of paper she brought with her.
She peers at us over the top of it. “The leaked footage and the cast posts seem to have worked. Fans are shifting back to excitement for the show.” She looks to Paul, who’s sitting there doing nothing as usual, before looking back at us. “We are cautiously optimistic.”
My eyes widen. Was that a compliment? I give Luke a sideways glance, wondering if he picked up on it too, but his eyes stay forward, his lips pulled into a straight line.
“Going forward, Ms. Lockhart and Mr. Rhodes will stay quiet on their personal social media, no confirmation or denial of relationship status. Please redirect everything to the show in interviews and let speculation build naturally.”
Right, so don’t feed it or kill it. Got it.
I look to Bailey and then back at Victoria, giving her a nod. I glance over at Luke, who’s doing the same.
Victoria looks to Luke and then to me. “Any questions?”
Luke starts to raise his hand but stops himself when Victoria pins him with a glare. “Since things are headed in the right direction, would it make sense for Ms. Archer and me to transition back to managing our own clients? I think the joint approach has run its course.”
Wow, so that’s what a punch in the gut feels like. I know it’s the right call. But hearing it from his mouth, in that tone, that all the time we’ve spent together over the past month has “run its course.” That hurts in a way I wasn’t prepared for.
I hate this.
Victoria stares at him, not blinking, before she finally says something. “Yes, I think that’s best. For now.”
She ends the meeting after that, she and Paul filing out first while River and Luke stand and shake hands, talking in low tones.
