Chapter 2

                                                             Devin

Mira Evans—My Tinks, my almost, my first everything.

They say you never forget your first. Whoever said that was right. It’s been nearly ten years since I last saw or spoke to her, but my heart still flutters like crazy at the thought of her, just like it did when we first kissed.

Over the years, I often thought about jumping on a plane and flying to London to see her, but I could never bring myself to do it after the way we left things…the way I left things with her. One day I was happy and had everything I wanted, and the next, I was flying across the world to start a whole new life,  leaving her behind.

You’re not supposed to find your soul mate at five years old, but I did. Mira was my other half until I was ripped away from her. I waited months for her to call or email or even write to me, but she didn’t. I picked the phone up a million times to call her, just to hear her voice, but I lost my nerve every single time, worried about her reaction or even if she wanted to speak to me, which—evidently, she didn’t—because I never heard from her.

I ultimately gave up, pushed her to the back of my mind, and got on with my life. I won’t lie and say I’d forgotten about Tinks because I didn’t. She would creep into my mind now and again. I had many girlfriends growing up and sowed my wild oats until I met my current girlfriend—Megan Young, almost five years ago. Her father is Duncan Young, a renowned businessman with successful firms worldwide. As much as I loved working with my father at Evans & King Publishing, I always wanted to start my own thing, so I did with Megan’s father’s backing. Three years ago, I started my record label. King Records took off, and now I’ve got some of the biggest artists signed on and producing under my label. I still help out with the publishing company and focus on my own business.

My life was set. I had a great girl, and I do what I love for a living. And then came the devastating news of my father’s cancer diagnosis. Stage two Sarcoma. He discovered a lump on his knee, which grew significantly until my mother dragged him to the doctors to have it checked. His biopsy came back malignant, and it spread pretty quickly to his lung soon after. He had surgery to remove the lump and decided he wanted to go back home to London to fight his cancer. He keeps saying if he’s going to die, he wants it to be at home, close to his family.

So here we are, flying back to London on our private jet. My older brother Levi lives in Australia and moved out there two years ago to do his own thing. Following his dreams of becoming an artist and exploring the world. Much like myself, Levi also holds fifteen per cent of the shares in the publishing company. I believe Uncle Noah did the same for Ayla and Mira. That way, everyone was equal.

I look over at my father sitting on the opposite aisle to me, engrossed in reading his book and can’t help the gnawing deep in the pit of my stomach. He needs to beat this. I can’t imagine a life without him in it. He’s my hero, the one I looked up to growing up, the one I aspired to be just like. One of the strongest, smartest, and compassionate man I have ever met.  After almost thirty-five years together, my parents are still happy and in love with one another. My mum is asleep with her sock-clad feet propped up on his lap while he mindlessly rubs her toes as he reads.

While I watch them, my mind summons images of Tinks and me in similar moments. We were in my bedroom, thirteen years old, working on an assignment for our history project. I was lying on my back reading through notes we took in class, and Tinks was lying at the foot of the bed on her back with her legs thrown over my thighs reading a textbook. I loved that we were always so comfortable around one another, like it was the most natural thing in the world. I miss her so much; I’ve never stopped missing her. I miss us and the person I was with her.

I wonder how she will react when she sees me standing in front of her. I’m not proud of it, but I may have gotten curious and stalked her social media over the years. She’s still as beautiful as ever, only now she’s older, her hair long, down to her lower back, the ends lightened,     rocking that two-tone thing that chicks do with their hair where its dark at the roots and gradually lightens.

I lose myself with memories of her, and before I realise it, we’ve touched down in London.

Home sweet home.

Even though I was jetlagged, I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning the whole night in the new apartment that I have rented for the duration of my stay in London. It was a decent-sized two-bedroom apartment with a view of the London skyline and River Thames. The living room was decorated modernly, the floors a light grey, marble ceramic tiles, the walls plain white with various paintings hung up all around. It was simple and suited me just fine. My girlfriend Megan will spruce it up, no doubt, the moment she visits. Being an interior decorator, she loves a good project.

The following day I wake up, and I’m anxious. My stomach is tied up in knots as we walk through the building. Today is the day. After almost a decade, I get to see my Tinks. We sat in a conference room conversing with Uncle Noah about my father’s condition when the door opens, and my heart almost leaps out of my chest. I deflate practically instantly when I see Ayla and not Mira that walked in. She stops at the door, her brown eyes on me, her mouth agape.

“Ayla, sweetheart, come on in. You remember Devin.” Uncle Noah says, and her eyes almost bug out of their sockets.

“D-Devin?” She utters, surprised, her eyes raking over the length of me when I rise to my full height.

“Hey, Ayla.” I greet her, and she lifts her hand and waves. Still shell-shocked. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Wow, little Devin is not so little anymore, huh. Life in Singapore agrees with you.” I smile and give her a nod as we take our seat. “So, you’re the new CEO?”

“I am,” I answer, my eyes flittering to the door, anticipating Mira to walk in right after, but she doesn’t.

“Where’s Mimi?” Uncle Noah questions his eldest daughter, who tears her eyes away from me and look at her father. My ears perk up at the mention of her.

“She’ll be along in a minute. You know what she’s like.” Ayla sighs with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. Uncle Noah smiles and nods fondly.

“You must be looking forward to seeing her again after such a long time.” He states, leaning over and patting me on my shoulder. “Dev and Tinks reunited.”

I open my mouth to respond when my ears pick up the distinct sound of heels clicking on the wood floor. I lift my gaze and look over at the door, and my heart starts to race.

“Ah, there she is.” Uncle Noah states, and she stops as soon as she steps in, and her eyes fall upon me. I stand, and we stare at one another. It felt like the world stopped spinning on its axis the moment our eyes met. My palms go clammy, and I feel myself starting to sweat in the suit I’m wearing.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

“Hey, Tinks.” I finally find my voice and greet her. The coffee cup slips from her fingers and hits the ground, splattering all over the floor.

“Devin?” Her voice is barely over a whisper, but it resonates through me. Those stunning golden eyes rake over me, just like her sister did before. So I do the same for her. Still petite, save for her heels, I’d say she stood at around five-foot-four or five at a push.

When her eyes finally lift to mine, I can’t figure out the look she holds in her eyes. I fight off the urge to walk over and pull her into my arms. Instead, I stuff my hands into my pockets and fist them, nodding with a smile. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too.” She utters and steps over the spilt coffee on the floor and moves over to the table when the cleaning attendant comes in to clean it up. We take a seat opposite each other, and I keep my eyes on her while she avoids looking at me and looks at her father instead, who is watching us bemused, no doubt picking up on the friction between us.

“We can start.” She states, sitting upright, her eyes glued to the table. She didn’t look at me for longer than a few seconds throughout the brief meeting. Not until I turn my attention to her father and I can see her watching me from the corner of my eye. The hairs on my neck go up under her gaze, and I’m trying desperately to focus on what her father is saying, but my brain is not taking in a single word.

The meeting ends, and she’s up on her feet and hurries out of the room. Of all the reactions I expected, this was not one of them.

I need to talk to her.

I stand and excuse myself, and Uncle Noah smiles knowingly. I give Ayla a courteous nod before I walk out of the conference room toward Mira’s office at the other end of the building. I exhale before I knock on the door and open it. Mira turns and looks at me; her eyes widen when she sees me standing before her.

“Tinks, do you have a minute?” I question, closing the door behind me.

She clears her throat and nods. “Sure. What can I do for you?”

Ouch. Her sharp tone throws me off a little. I force a smile. “Well, I thought we could get reacquainted and catch up. Considering we’ll be working closely together moving forward.”

Mira blinks and stares at me, dumbfounded, like I said something ludicrous. “Reacquainted?” She iterates, and I nod, closely observing her, keeping my eyes on her.

“Yes, it’s what people who haven’t seen each other in a while do after they meet again—get reacquainted.”

Mira’s brows draw together. “I know what reacquainted means, Devin.” I couldn’t contain my smirk. I rub my forehead to keep myself from laughing. “I’m just not sure what you expected bolling in here after almost ten years. A hug?”

I rub my jaw and step toward her, “I mean, I wouldn’t say no.”

Mira’s eyes narrow, and she glowers at me, her arms folding over her chest, “I would.”

I sigh inwardly, “Tinks.”

“Stop calling me that. It’s Mira.” She snaps, agitated. I take another step toward her, licking my lips and shaking my head.

“Not to me,” I reply coolly. “To me, you’ll always be Tinks.” Her caramel-coloured orbs lift to me while I gaze down into her upturned face. I’m close enough to smell the exotic tone to her perfume, which stirs something within me. “And to you, I’ll always be Dev.”

“We’re not kids anymore, Devin,” Mira throws back crisply. “What made you suddenly decide to come back after such a long time?”

A strand of her hair falls in front of her face, and I almost instinctively reach out to brush it away but catch myself in time and push my hands into my pockets instead. “I didn’t. My dad asked me too.”

“Why didn’t he come himself?”

“Do you want to go and grab a coffee?” I suddenly blurt out, and Mira gazes up at me, puzzled.

“I already have coffee.” She states, pointing to a cup sitting on her glass desk. I grin charmingly and fix her with a look I know she could never resist.

“How about lunch?”

 “I’m on a diet.”

Diet? What is she fucking crazy? I openly look her over and frown. “Are you trying to disappear? You don’t need to diet.”

Her adorable button nose crinkles just like it used to when we were younger. I smile and repel the urge to lean over and kiss it.

“I decide what I need. Besides, I have meetings and conference calls all afternoon, so I will skip lunch.”

“Tinks, what’s with the pushback? If I didn’t know you any better, I’d think you’re not happy to see me?”

I watch as she runs her fingers through her hair in frustration. “Should I be?”  I stand motionless at her response and release a slow breath. “I’m not the same girl I was when you left Devin. You knew her. You don’t know me, just like I don’t know you anymore. A lot can change in a decade.”

I bite my lip and keep my eyes on hers. Of course, time can change a lot, but how does she expect me to believe she’s not still the girl I fell in love with all those years ago. “Fair enough.” We stare at one another wordlessly. Then, with a nod, I turn and walk toward the door. “I’ll see you about.” I throw over my shoulder as I open the door and walk out of her office.

 Was she right? Could we have lost that connection we shared growing up? People drift apart the older they get and the more time passes.  Maybe I was too optimistic coming in, hoping we could just pick up where we left things, be as we used to be—well, perhaps not exactly as we used to be—but friends at the very least.

My first day at the office was a sour one. After my exchange with Mira, my mood for the rest of the day was shot to hell. I got glimpses of her as she walked through the office. As we passed by each other throughout the day, she’d avert her gaze, not even acknowledging me, which bothered me more than I’d like to admit. Changed my left nut; she’s still the insufferable stubborn girl she was back then. If she wants to act like we’re strangers, I will too. We went on like this for a few days, ignoring one another. As frustrating as it was, I kept my distance despite wanting to go over and talk to her countless times throughout the day.

And then we started bickering as soon as we started working on ways to get this Samantha Wickham to publish her book with us. “Are you deliberately trying to undermine me?!” Mira snaps, slapping the manuscript on my desk and standing. I glare up at her.  

“Not at all.” I shrug, “I’m simply trying to point out that your way will not work to sway this woman.”

“How do you figure?”

“Because it’s clearly not about the money, Tinks!”

“Will you stop calling me that!” She hisses hotly, placing her hands on my desk and leans closer.

“I’ve always called you that!” I bark back, leaning in, and she glowers at me, her eyes glowing hot, showing her state of agitation.

“When we were kids, which we no longer are, Devin!” It was my turn to roll my eyes. I thrust my fingers through my hair and shake my head.

“Yes, you’ve made that very clear the seventeen times you’ve already mentioned it, Tinks,” I reply, standing from my chair and staring into her flustered face. “It doesn’t matter how old we are…you will always be, Tinks,” I state with a smirk, and her eyes rake over my face. “It’s never bothered you before.”

“It bothers me now.”

“Why?”

“Because it does.”

“Why?”

“Goddamn it, do I have to give you a reason?!”

“Yes!”

“Why?! Why can’t you just call me by my name? Is it so hard? Mira…MI-RA! It’s two fucking syllables!”

The anger in her eyes makes her look so goddamn sexy. We’re both leant over my desk, angrily glaring at one another, standing so close we’re almost nose to nose. “Mm, too much effort for a busy man like myself. I prefer the one-syllable word...Tinks.” I reach up and flick my index finger over her nose, and she hastily slaps my hand away.  

There she is.

“How about you focus more on doing your job rather than infuriating me?” She gripes, staring into my eyes heatedly, and I can already feel my insides melting.

“You’re infuriating yourself,” I utter with a smirk. “You’re the one being hostile, Shortcake.”

Mira’s scowl deepens, and her chest rises and falls quicker. “Hostile? You think this is hostile? Devin King I can be much, much worse, I assure you.”

“Is that a threat, Tinks?”

Her amber eyes narrow. “Take it as you will, Devin.”

I bite back the urge to laugh when she stares at me, her eyes all big and unblinking, so I blow a quick breath in her face, and she blinks and jumps, startled. “What the fu—no, nah uh, I can’t work with you. I can’t work with you!” I chuckle, watching while she turns and storms out of the office.

“Too bad you’re stuck with me, baby girl.” I grin, rubbing my jaw while watching amusedly as she vamooses down the corridor. I sigh, falling back into my leather chair, rocking back and forth.

I forgot how easy she is to wind up, and I love it. I’ll crack her soon. She just needs a little time to remember what we were like around each other.

Things between us after that day went from bad to much worse. Two days later, she comes barrelling into my office without so much as a courteous knock. “Hey!” I jump out of my skin, almost choking on the mouthful of coffee I was drinking.

“Good morning to you too, sunshine.” I greet her and earn myself a death glare. She slaps a paper with the letters VP scribbled across it.

“Can you read?”

Lift my gaze to her and frown, “Last time I checked…”

Mira’s brows go up, and she wets her lips. “What does that say?” She questions, slapping down a piece of paper on my desk and looking down at me expectantly.

“VP?” I reply, perplexed while she glares at me, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Oh good, you can read. Can you please explain to me why you insist on parking your Lambo in MY parking spot?” I try my best not to smile, she was already seething, and it’s not even nine o’clock in the morning yet.

“Because my parking spot is too far from the entrance. Yours is conveniently situated near the entrance, saves me time, you see?”

Mira’s lips part and she looks at me as though I’ve sprouted a second head. “Devin, move your car.” She hisses, her fingers fisting by her side. “Move your car, Devin!”

“If you want your parking spot, you should wake up early and try to get here before ten, Tinks.” At my words, her face takes on a whole new level of rage.

“Park in my spot one more time.” Mira leans over my desk, and I look at the index finger she thrusts in my face. “Watch what happens.”

I smirk, intrigued, and stand from my chair, slowly walking around the desk. “Oh, another threat. That’s what, the third one this week?” I state evenly as I tower over her. “What are you going to do, Tinks?”

“Don’t push me, Devin!”

“I’m really liking this feisty side to you,” I admit, stepping closer while she eyes me intently. “Why don’t you just come out with the real reason you’re angry with me?”

Mira gives me a scornful look, “There are so many reasons I’m at a loss for where to begin.”

I regard her curiously and tilt my head to the side, “Pick your favourite.” I drawl with a smirk, and she huffs and rolls her eyes.

 “Oh, well, let’s see, you’re arrogant.” She points out, her brows rising, and she holds up her thumb. “I mean, you were always arrogant, but now you’re just this big…” her eyes flitter over me, and when I take a step toward her, she cranes her neck to peer up at me, momentarily losing her train of thought.

“Go on. You were saying, this big…what?” I urge her on, keeping my tone low and deep as I look down into her beautiful face. Mira’s lips part while our eyes search one another.

“Conceited jerk.”

I smile and bite my bottom lip, “That’s not the real reason you’re mad at me. Is it, Tinks?”

Mira scoffs, “You seem to be pretty sure of the reason I’m mad at you. Why don’t you enlighten me, jackass?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Mira sighs, exasperated. “Watching you get all flustered and irate is the highlight of my day.” I chuckle when she shoves me away from her when I pinch her cheek.

“Stop that!” She yelps, and all of a sudden, her eyes light up when she looks at my desk. I watch her as she strolls over and picks up the key to my car. “If you won’t move your car. I will.” She grins smugly and turns to walk out of the office.

“Hey,” I follow her. “Tinks, don’t even think about it.” I wrap my arm around her waist and lift her off the ground when she tries to run off.

Mira groans and kicks her legs, “Put me down, you jerk. You should have moved your damn tank of a car when I asked! I told you not to push me. Put me down, Dev!”

She just called me Dev. The way my heart just leapt up to my throat from excitement.

I poke her sides where I know she’s ticklish, and she squeals, “What did you just call me?”

“I called you a jerk!” She half giggles, half gasps when I continue to poke her sides.

“You called me Dev.”

“I did not!”

“You fucking did!”

“I did not! You need to get your hearing checked.” I let go of her when I pry my key out of her hand, and she scowls at me. “Oh, keep your key. Good luck getting home with flat tires.”

“Tinks, you dare. Those rims are worth twelve thousand pounds each.”

Mira swirls and looks at me with a smirk. “So are my shoes!”

“Hey!” Mira and I both turn when we hear Uncle Noah’s voice behind us. “What’s with the shouting? I can hear your voices coming through to my office at the other end of the building.”

Mira and I exchange glances, and she points to me. “Tell him, he keeps parking in my parking spot.”

I cross my arms over my chest and glare at the back of her head. “You should get here earlier then, as I mentioned before, Tinks.” Mira looks at me sharply, and I raise my brows haughtily in return.

“It’s my parking spot, you doofus!” Mira complains and turns her fiery gaze to her father again, “I can’t work him!”

Uncle Noah looks between us, his dark brows drawn together, his soft brown eyes darting between his daughter and myself while we continue to bicker back and forth. “Enough. Both of you. I’ve been patiently waiting for you to work through your issues and hoped you would have solved them by now, but alas, it seems I’ve been wasting my time, so I’m taking control of this little situation.”

“What situation?” Mira and I say in unison and look over at each other.

Uncle Noah smiles and steps closer to us both. “We’re going to do a little exercise. I want you both to close your eyes and stretch both your arms out in front of you.” He directs and waits for us to follow his instructions. Mira and I both hesitate, but eventually close our eyes and stretch out both our arms in front of us. Everything around us goes quiet for a good thirty seconds until I feel something cold around my wrist and the distinct sound of clicking and the clinking of metal. My eyes open, and so does Mira’s. We look at our wrists and the handcuff that’s binding us together.

“What the hell?” Mira utters, lifting her arm and staring at the cuffs and then at her father and sister standing before us, looking rather pleased with themselves. I frown, looking at the handcuffs closely to see if there’s a latch to free us but find nothing.

“What is this? Why did you cuff us together?” I question, perplexed, and Uncle Noah smiles knowingly.

“Well, firstly, I am sick to death of listening to you both argue and bicker instead of trying to work. Secondly, as CEO and Vice President of this company, you both have to work closely together, which I don’t see happening the way you’ve been going at it the last few days. So, Ayla and I came up with this idea. You will stay handcuffed until you can both prove to me that you can work together professionally without fighting.”

Mira gapes at her father and sister. Her eyes were almost bulging out of her skull. “Daddy, come on, this is ridiculous! How do you expect us to work like this?” She complains, lifting her arm in the air and forcing mine up with it. “We’ll stop fighting, right?” She turns her gaze to me and looks at me expectantly.

I chuckle, “I hate to admit it, but she’s right. This is ridiculous and unnecessary.”

“Thank you!”  Mira exclaims. “See, we’re getting along already.” Uncle Noah holds his hand up to silence us.

“No, what’s ridiculous is the way you’ve both been acting this past week.”

“Daddy—”

“Enough, Mimi. You’ll stay cuffed together for as long as it takes for you two to get reacquainted and sort out your issues. I have the key, and until I see some form of progression, those cuffs will remain locked.”

“But—” Mira protests but stops when her dad gives her a firm look.

“Not one word, Mimi.”

Mira’s shoulders fall in defeat and we look at one another when Ayla and Uncle Noah turn and walk out of the office.

Cuffed with Tinks…this ought to be interesting.