She thought about telling him that she’d stay, that she could get a ride home later, and also that he could go fuck himself.But her political training hadn’t completely deserted her; not even this much sangria would allow her to let all of these people know her business. So instead, she gave everyone in the group hugs good-bye amid false promises of getting drinks “the next time she was in town” and followed Avon to his car.Avon had stayed in Dorothy’s bedroom for a while after Lucia had fled. He’d wanted to run after her, to tell her no, she’d gotten it all wrong, that wasn’t how he felt. But he’d already made a mess of this conversation, so he figured he should maybe wait and try again when they got home after the party and could really talk.But then he got the call from the hospital and had to run outside and grab her in a hurry. He’d thought about asking Lucas to drive her home, but after basically accusing Lucas of hitting on her, he wasn’t in the best position to ask Lucas fo
Avon tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck, her hair, the side of her face. After a few seconds, he felt her relax. He reached up and stroked her hair.“Lucia, please. Please, can we talk?”She turned in his arms and rested her head against his chest but didn’t say anything.“I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I got frustrated, and I didn’t mean it. Please, forgive me, sweetheart?”Her face was hidden in his chest, so at first, he only heard her irregular breathing and didn’t realize the cause. But when he reached down to stroke her face and tilt it up toward his, he felt the tears on her face.“Oh no, Lucia . Oh, please no, don’t cry.” He kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to his chest, but she only cried harder.“I can’t do this, Avon.” He could barely understand her through her sobs. “This is too . . . It hurts too much. We can’t do this anymore.”“No!” He hoped that he’d heard her wrong, but he knew that wasn’t the case. “No, that’s not . . . Please don’t do t
Diana checked her watch for what felt like the hundredth time, tapping her foot impatiently on the pavement. She was waiting at the curb outside the airport, scanning the crowds of people streaming out of the terminal for a glimpse of lucia’s familiar smile.As she waited, Lucia’s mind wandered back to their last conversation. Lucia had sounded distant, preoccupied, and Diana couldn't shake the feeling that something was bothering her friend.Just as Diana was starting to worry that Lucia’s flight had been delayed, she spotted a familiar figure emerging from the crowd. Lucia looked tired but relieved as she made her way towards Diana, towing a small suitcase behind her.Diana grinned, feeling a surge of excitement and affection as she opened her arms for a hug. "Hey, girl!" she exclaimed, squeezing Lucia tightly. "Welcome back!"Diana took a long look at her face when she got in the passenger seat.“First: are we going to your house or my house?”Lucia considered as Diana drove out of
Did that stop him? No, of course not.“Come on, man. You have a fight? It was bound to happen eventually. Tell Dr. Lucas about it. I’ll get you all fixed up.”Avon stared blankly at the stack of files on his desk, his mind a million miles away. It had been two days since Lucia had left his house, and he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that had settled in his chest.He missed her.He missed her bright smile, her infectious laugh, and her sharp wit. He missed the way she always knew how to make him feel better, the way she always challenged him to be his best self.But most of all, he missed the way she made him feel. Like he was home. Like he was exactly where he was meant to be.He couldn't believe Lucia had just left like that. Without a word. Just...gone.Avon's anger simmered just below the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. He was pissed at Lucia for leaving, pissed at himself for letting her go, and pissed at the world for not cooperating.He stood up, pacin
After work Avon went home and changed into his running clothes. He ran on the beach for ten miles, trying to exhaust himself so much he didn’t think about Lucia, and how he should be on a plane to go see her at that very moment. It didn’t work.The shameful thing was that he’d already bought a ticket to fly up there that weekend. He’d bought it the day before she flew in for the July weekend, and he hadn’t canceled it yet. He kept thinking he’d hear from her; he’d feel his phone vibrate in his pocket and it would be a text from her. She’d say she was wrong to leave, she’d missed the hell out of him all week just like he’d missed her. And then he would fly up there this weekend, and . . . but that hadn’t happened.So he’d canceled his flight right before leaving the office, and now he was even grumpier than he’d been all week. Now it truly felt over.He climbed up the stairs to his apartment after his run, hot and sweaty and irritable, but no longer in the kind of mood where he would
Avon closed his eyes. He pictured Lucia laughing up at him in the elevator, Lucia dancing with him at the wedding, Lucia smiling at him from their pilfered towel at the Park, Lucia eating tacos on his couch, Lucia frowning at her computer screen, oblivious to him, Lucia whispering “coffee” in his ear early in the morning, Lucia pulling his head down onto her shoulder when he’d flown to her side, lucia tucked inside the curve of his arms in his bed.Avon still sat down, his mind racing with thoughts of Lucia. It had been weeks since she'd left, and he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that had settled in his chest.He felt himself being pulled into a dream world where Lucia was waiting for him. In his dream, they were back in his beach house, standing on the edge of the ocean. The sun was setting, casting a warm golden light over the waves.Lucia turned to him, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "I've missed you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.Avon's hear
Lucia’s body shook with sobs as she confronted the pain of her past. She wiped her tears with the hem of her tank top, her eyes fixed on Olivia."I'm so sorry, Carolyn ," Lucia whispered, her voice cracking. "I've regretted my actions for years, but I've been too ashamed to apologize."Carolyn’s expression softened, her eyes brimming with compassion. "Lulu, you've been there for me during my toughest moments," she said gently. "Like when I needed help moving out of that awful apartment in New York after the breakup."Lucia’s guilt resurfaced, but Carolyn’s words offered a glimmer of hope. "I know I wasn't perfect, Carolyn ," Lucia admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I hurt you, and I'm deeply sorry. This program was my attempt to make amends, but I realize now that I needed to apologize in person, regardless of the outcome."Carolyn’s face reflected a mix of sadness and understanding. "I appreciate your honesty, Lulu," she said, her voice filled with emotion. "Your apology me
Avon wanted to surprise Lucia. Avon slipped through the doorway of the city council chambers right at six. He’d wanted to get there early, but he didn’t want Lucia to see him before the meeting started. She hadn’t acknowledged the doughnuts, but he knew she’d gotten them; he’d followed the delivery guy to her office to make sure.He found one of the only empty seats in the back of the council chamber, next to a woman with lots of curly hair who looked vaguely familiar. She looked up and smiled at him for a second before looking back down her phone, her thumbs flying across the screen.He saw Lucia up at the front of the room, sitting next to Nolan and behind a woman he assumed was the mayor. Damn, it felt so good to see her again, even from across the room. She was sitting there, intent on the proceedings, in one of those suits he loved, looking like she was in her element. She was in her element.Maybe she was relieved to not have him taking up her time anymore. Maybe Nolan had a
“I’m so sorry. Please tell me you forgive me,” he begged as he buried his face deep into Lucia's neck. “I forgive you, but we need to talk,” she said. “I know, and I’ll do anything to make things right. I love you, and I missed you so much.” Lucia broke their embrace and placed her hands on his face. “I missed you too,” age said as she kissed him. “Come sit down and have some coffee and the hangover cocktail I just made.” “You know I hate that stuff.” “I know you do, but it works and you have to be feeling pretty lousy right now.” “I am,” he said as he rubbed his head. Lucia picked up the glass with the cocktail in it and sat down on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and as she brought the glass to his lips. “Drink.” she smiled. He looked at her, made a face, and took a sip as she tilted the glass. He took it from her hand and chugged it down as fast as he could, then placed the glass on the counter. “Where’s our baby?” he asked. “He’s at my mom's with Dian
It was a Saturday morning. Lucia say down in front of the balcony letting her hands run through her hair. “He misses you, and he’s not doing good,” she heard a voice say behind her.She turned around and saw Diana standing a few feet away from her. She smiled and held out her hand for Diana to sit next to her.“What are you doing here? Should you even be here?” she asked as she kissed Diana on the cheek.“I’m fine. Martins drove. He's in the car , talking to his boss. I don’t want to talk about me. How are you doing?”“I’m okay,” she said as I looked into her phone.“No, you’re not. I know you, Lucia, and you miss him just as much as he misses you.”“I’m so mad at him, Diana. How could he do that to me? How many times do I have to tell him not to keep things from me before it sinks into that thick head of his?”Diana smiled at her and then looked at her. “Sometimes, we don’t always make the right decisions under pressure and stress. Need I remind you of a few times you didn’t make
The house felt empty without Avon. She heard Asher cry, so she walked upstairs to get him from his crib. It had been days since she’d seen or talked to Avon. Every second and every minute of each day was killing her slowly. Days had passed since she had left Avon, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of emptiness that settled in her heart. She missed him. She missed their talks, their laughs, and their quiet moments together. As she sat in her Mum’s living room, watching Asher play with his toys, she couldn’t help but think about Avon. She’d been so angry with him, so hurt by what she thought he'd done. But now, as the days went by, she was starting to feel like she’d overreacted. She thought about all the times Avon had been there for her, all the times he'd supported her and loved her. She thought about the way he looked at her, the way he made her feel like she was the only person in the world. Just then, her mom came into the room and told her that Avon was on his way over
Avon could hardly sleep that night. He kept trying Lucia’s number but it kept going to voicemail. He knew she needed time but he only wanted to make sure she was safe. A part of him was relaxed when Lucas called and told him she was at her mom's with their baby.Dr Kim on the other hand watched Avon run out of the mansion chasing after Lucia. Her plan had not worked. Avon had not fallen into her trap and instead, he had gone after his wife. Kim's face twisted in anger and frustration. She had been so sure that her plan would work. She had been so sure that Avon would fall for her charms. But now she watched Avon disappear into the night. She realized that she had underestimated him. She had underestimated the strength of his marriage and the depth of his love for Lucia.Kim's anger turned to furt as she taught of Lucia. That woman had ruined everything. She had foiled with her plans.She had been with other married men and she was always the one to leave the situationship. The men n
Dr. Kim was a force to be reckoned with. She was a brilliant doctor, a talented researcher, and a stunningly beautiful woman. She knew how to use her charms to get what she wanted, and she always got what she wanted. Kim grew up in a wealthy family, where she was always given everything she desired. She was spoiled, but she was also intelligent and driven. She worked hard to become a doctor, and she was determined to be the best. As she navigated her way through medical school and her residency, Rachael developed a reputation for being flirtatious and seductive. She would bat her eyelashes, flash her bright smile, and use her charm to get what she wanted from her colleagues and professors. Her love life was a series of conquests, each one more thrilling than the last. She would pick up men at bars, at parties, and even at work. She loved the thrill of the chase, the excitement of seducing someone new. But despite her many conquests, Kim had never been in a serious relationship.
Lucia paced back and forth, trying to comfort Asher as he screamed her head off in the morning. She bounced him, walked him around the house, sat down, rocked him in the rocking chair, and nothing soothed him. Avon came up behind her in the living room and took him from her. “What’s wrong, ash? Daddy’s here.” Lucia rolled her eyes because sometimes Avon thought he was the cure-all where he was concerned. When he didn’t stop screaming, he looked at her. “He may be teething. Run your finger along his gums and see if you feel anything,” Avon said. She took her finger and put it in Asher's mouth. “Yep, I feel a lump right here,” she said. ‘Aw, my poor baby,” he pouted as he kissed his head. “I’ll go and get the baby Tylenol. That should help her him better.” Lucia followed Avon into the kitchen, and she took the Tylenol from the cupboard. She gave Avon his dosage and they sat with him on the couch. “I can take him, sweetheart. You have to get up for work in a couple of hours.”
The next morning, Lucia awoke before Avon. As her was still at his parents’ house and after the party last night, they had sex all over the penthouse, taking advantage of the fact that Asher wasn’t here to interrupt them. While she stood in front of the mirror, she put her blonde hair up in a high ponytail. As she brushed her teeth, Avon stood in the doorway of the bathroom in nothing but his pajama bottoms, with his muscular arms against the doorframe. “What?” she smiled. “Nothing. I’m just admiring your beauty before we part ways in a couple of hours.” She spit in the sink and rinsed her mouth before walking over to him and placing her hands on his bare and sculpted chest. “I hate the fact that we aren’t going to see each other until tomorrow.” “I know. Me too,” he said as he held her face and kissed her lips. “I'll be home before you know it” Avon said. After Avon left for work, Lucia pulled out her phone and dialed Diana's number, excitement building up inside her. Hey, g
Lucia was sitting in the hospital cafeteria, sipping on a cup of coffee and scrolling through her phone, when she noticed a commotion at the entrance. A group of nurses were gathered around a new doctor, chatting and laughing with her. As she watched, the doctor caught her eye and smiled. She was tall, with long, curly brown hair and piercing green eyes. Lucia felt a pang of unease as she realized that she was staring at Avon, her gaze lingering on his face. Just then, Avon walked into the cafeteria, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on Lucia’s. He smiled and made his way over, but not before noticing the new doctor. "Hey, who's that?" Avon asked, nodding towards the doctor. Lucia shrugged. "No idea. Must be new around here." Avon's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the doctor, who was now chatting with a group of nurses. "I'll go introduce myself," he said, standing up. As Avon walked over to the doctor, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. There was some
Avon sat at his desk, staring blankly at his computer screen as he tried to focus on the task at hand. But his mind kept wandering to Lucia and their baby boy. It had been weeks since she gave birth, and he knew she was still adjusting to motherhood.As he thought about it, an idea struck him. He picked up his phone and dialed Lucia's number, a smile spreading across his face as he waited for her to answer."Hey, beautiful," he said, trying to sound suave. "How's my favorite mom doing today?"Lucia laughed on the other end of the line. "I'm doing okay, I guess. Just trying to get some rest while the baby sleeps."He chuckled. "Well, I have a proposition for you. How would you like to be my date for dinner tonight?"There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, he worried that Lucia might say no. But then she spoke up, her voice filled with excitement."I'd love to! It's been ages since we've had a night out just the two of us."He grinned, feeling a sense of relief