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Warmth swirls in my chest at the idea of seeing my friend again. I should have done more to stay in touch, but life kicked my ass. I barely had time to take care of myself, much less my friendships.
“Know where I can find him?”
“He’s got an office on Main,” Nancy says. “He’s not there a lot but he has an assistant who can find him. Busy guy, though. His calendar is always full.”
“Yeah.” Liz chuckles. “He’s popular.”
“Twist of fate.”
“Wait until you see him, Eli. He’s… well, he’s gorgeous. He looks like a model.”
“Really?”
“If I wasn’t a married woman…” Her words trail off as she waggles her eyebrows.
“Same.” Nancy cackles. “If only I could get on the masquerade list.”
“Oh,” Liz says, nodding. “The masquerade balls. He hosts them every few months as a way to give back to the community. It’s invite only though. You should see the people around here kiss up to him when he’s out in public. You’d think he was royalty.”
“Hmm. Pretty sharp contrast to how people around here used to treat him.”
“For sure, but that’s ancient history. Obviously, Michel still has love for the place, so he must have some fond memories. I apologized to him when he came in once. He said he couldn’t remember me ever being mean to him, which was nice. I don’t think I was, but you know, when I was with Garrett, who knows.”
“Yeah. Didn’t stay with him?”
“No. We ended right before college started. He married a gal he met at university. Her name is Margie.”
“Kids?”
“Nope.” She shrugs. “Word is they tried, but who knows.”
“Think I’ll swing by and see if I can find Michel. It’s been a long time.”
“Yeah. Good to see you. Hope you’ll be around for a while.”
“I’m not sure yet, but thanks for the updates. What do I owe you?”
“On me today.”
“Thanks, Liz.”
Settling in my car again, I think over what Liz and Nancy told me. That version of Michel doesn’t even seem real, but I’m more than intrigued to see him for myself. Maybe we can pick up where we left off, and I can tell him the one thing I never could back in high school.
As I make the drive down Main Street, memories flood my senses again. It’s like a time warp, except so much is the same. I can see the improvements being made, contrasting with the older buildings still untouched. I’m so curious about how Michel became some big-time real estate developer instead of the field I imagined for him.
I parallel park in front of his office as a burst of excited nerves grips my stomach. Will he even remember me? Only one way to find out. I shut the car off, pausing as I exit to inhale the fresh spring air. One thing New Onyx can’t compete with.
When I enter, I stand in the lobby. It’s fairly nondescript—clean, with simple tile floors, white walls, and a few pieces of art. There’s a desk with a woman behind it, who smiles as she finishes a phone call. Once she hangs up, she turns her attention fully to me.
“Hello. How can I help you?”
“I was hoping I could see Michel, if he’s here. Or could you tell me where to find him?”
“His calendar is pretty full, but give me your name and I’ll take a message.”
“Okay. Fine. Eli. Uh, Eli Julius.”
The thick wooden door behind the receptionist opens, and there he is. Michel Toussaint. He may be a more classed-up version, but I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. He gazes back at me, his mouth agape.
