There isn’t anyone around, and I’m grateful for the quietude. The evening is unusually warm, even for May, but there’s also unusual moisture in the air. Thick, grey clouds cover the shrinking moon’s cusps.
As I trudge toward the bus stop with slumped shoulders, droplets moisten my skin, leaving wet smudges on my black skirt.
A loud thunder echoes through the air.
Well, it seems that even the sky knows that tonight is one to earmark.
Why else would it call upon an untypical, late-spring storm?
I stop and turn my face upwards. If this were my romance novel, this would be the perfect moment for the estranged lovers to reunite.
There’s just something incredibly fulfilling about rekindling in a tempest. It’s almost as if rain has the power to not only cleanse away literal dirt, but also any metaphorical impurity, to clear the path for a new, brighter future.
But I’m only interested in a future with Devon. And that’s not going to be happening, no matter how much water falls on me…
Numbness infuses my body, and the tears that were dwelling in my eyes while I waited in the restaurant find their free flow. Lukewarm rain drizzles on my cheeks and mixes with my own salty drops.
Eva was right.
My self-doubt and inferiority complex made me think that when faced with a choice between Morgan and me, Devon would surely choose her. Instead of giving Devon the chance to explain what happened, I drew conclusions based on my prejudices.
Why couldn’t I trust his actions and words? Why did I need to give credit to my foolish thoughts and fears?
I let the hollowness take possession of my innards. I don’t fight it; I indulge in it. I deserve to feel wretched. I hurt Devon. Badly.
I let the water bathe me, praying that it may blue pencil at least part of my guilt and misery.
My crying eventually calms down, and I open my arms and just stand quietly in the rain.
A short cough resounds behind my back.
Oops, my self-flagellation must be blocking someone’s path.
I quickly lower my arms and step to the side.
But nobody passes.
“Laia?”
My jaw plummets to my knees, and I whip around.
Devon’s cleft chin, pulled into a confused frown, greets me. He holds a red umbrella with the symbol of Kona Grill in one hand, while his other is hooked into the belt of his slim-cut, grey chinos.
“What are you doing here, Devon?” I ask.
“Ellie coaxed me into accompanying her to a sushi restaurant. When we arrived, she made me wait outside while she went in to consult with a waiter. Allegedly to inquire whether they had chicken katsu rolls. Then she dashed outside, shoved this umbrella into my hand, and sent me down this road to check when the next night bus is leaving.”
Despite the shock Devon’s appearance triggered, a small giggle escapes from my throat. “And you followed her whacky instructions?”
Devon snorts bemusedly. “I guess I did. I figured that Ellie had a hidden agenda, and I wanted to see what it was. Anyway, if I didn’t comply, she would’ve invented a way to make me, so it was easier to go with the flow. “Also…” He shrugs. “I kind of hoped you’d be her ulterior motive…”
He hoped his sister would lead him to me? Does this mean…?
Despite his perplexing phrase, Devon’s expression remains steeled.
Desperate to make him reveal something more, I ask, “Aren’t you upset that Ellie tricked you into meeting me?”
Devon tilts his head to the side but, instead of answering, his eyes wander slowly along my body. He walks to me, shifting his umbrella so it now covers me, too.
His sudden closeness and the intimate feel of being under the same umbrella awakens a tempest in me and threatens to buckle my knees.
To find some grounding, I press my hands firmly to my skirt. That’s when I notice it’s soaked.
I peer down at my own top, which is sticking to my bosom like a second skin.
My hair drips, and I can only imagine how the make-up Chelsea and Eva so masterfully smeared on my face must look.
“You’re wet. What were you doing out here in the rain?” he asks.
“I was…I…” Why does my mind shut off at this crucial moment?
There’s so much I need to tell Devon. I’ve perfected my apology for hours with Eva and Chelsea. But now that I’m face-to-face with him, I can’t seem to muster a word.
I close my eyes and reopen them, hoping this brief exercise will jumpstart my brain.
It certainly does, but not in the way I’d have wished. Especially after my glance dips to Devon’s mouth.
Instead of my practiced plea, the thoughts that rush to my mind are either memories of how deliciously he tasted, or a yearning to savor him again.
“Laia? Why were you out here alone? If I’m interpreting this puzzle correctly, you were supposed to be in that restaurant. That’s why Ellie wanted me to go there with her?”
A weak smile tugs at his lower lip as he studies me.
Devon’s question finally cuts through my emotional haze.
“Yes, I called Ellie and asked her to help me arrange a dinner with you. But since you didn’t show up, I thought you wouldn’t come.”
His brows round. “If you wanted to eat with me, why didn’t you invite me directly?”
“Because of what happened between us in the hotel.”
Devon nods slowly. “Yes, I see.” But then he pauses. “No, wait a second, I don’t. Why did you want to dine with me at all? You quit your job and wished me farewell. I thought you never wanted to see me again. That’s what you wrote in your email.”
I suck in a breath and lower my gaze to his chest.
“I know I wrote that, but it’s not true. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did.” My voice wavers, but I steel myself to continue. Devon deserves my full-fledged disclosure. Even if my stomach is frozen in fear at his potential refusal, I’m going to come clean with him. If there is one person I’m ready to abandon my shell for, it’s Devon. “I know I’ve been wrong about Morgan and Hayley—”
Devon jerks back. “Wait, how do you know that?”
I play with my fingers instead of giving an answer.
Devon lifts my chin till our gazes meet. “Who told you that? Was it Ellie?” His voice isn’t angry but insistent.
“No…and yes. I heard it from Chelsea, who heard it from Katja, who heard it from Ellie, who heard it from you.”
“Ah, so it was a very straightforward gossip chain then.” He rolls his eyes. “At least it delivered you the correct information, unlike that previous rumor.”
“Why didn’t you correct me when I accused you unjustly, Devon?” I blurt out.
“I was caught off guard. You accused me of sleeping with Morgan. And then you jumped out with Hayley’s story.”
“I’m so sorry, Devon,” I mumble.
He shakes his head. “Don’t be. Though your allegations were entirely false, I realized I deserved your harsh words.”
“No, you didn’t!”
Devon rubs his neck. “No, I did. Not for what I did with Morgan or Hayley, but for how I lived my life before meeting you. I’ve been a selfish jerk. I toyed with others’ feelings. Unwittingly, yes, but I still did. I hurt women. Many.”
“You’ve changed, Devon. I know that.”
I brush a finger on his cheek, and he flinches as if my touch burns him.
He pulls back from me and sighs. “Yes, I did. But that isn’t enough. I’ll never be a truly wholesome person like you. I can’t make my past undone. Laia, you’re the purest and most wonderful creature I’ve ever met. You deserve someone better than me.”
My jaw drops as the meaning of his words settle in.
Devon didn’t lie because he was offended by my unwarranted incrimination. He kept me in the dark because he thought he wasn’t the right one for me.
I want to snuggle up to him, but the umbrella is in my way. I grab it from him
and drop it to the ground.
“Why did you do that?” Devon asks.
“Because I want to do this.” I launch forward and snake my arms around his neck. I raise myself to my tiptoes and pull my face so close to him that my forehead caresses his chin.
The rain, which has turned from a drizzle to a downpour, cascades down on us, the licks of water drenching us and tickling our skins.
I tilt my face upward as he bends down. Our lips align but don’t touch.
“I’m not the man for you,” he whispers, a painful glimmer in his eyes. “Lord knows I want to be him. But you need someone more—”
“Hush,” I press a finger on his mouth. “You’re exactly what I need. And the only person I want. You don’t have to change or improve in any way. You’re perfect for me. Please forgive me for not believing this before.”
Chapter 50
(Devon)
Laia’s lips curl up, and she breaths the three magical words into my mouth softly. “I love you.”
My eyes widen. “Do you mean this?”
“Yes, Devon. I don’t want anyone else but you.”
Her words swirl in my head, coating my soul with a joy I didn’t think possible.
Laia thinks I’m good enough for her. She wants me. She loves me. Me!
My arms close around her hips, and I lift her gently in the air.
She gasps then giggles. “What are you doing? I’m too heavy!”
“You’re not. And I can’t stop the joy that overcame me. Not when I know that you love me. Because I love you too, Laia. More than anything in this world. If there is such a thing as soulmates, I’m sure you are mine.”
Without lowering her to the ground, I slowly close the gap between our lips. She cups my face, and our mouths mold into one.
The suppressed longing sweeps over me. It’s like a current that first percolates timidly, but with each shared breath it grows stronger. Before I know it, the sweet pleasure of her embrace enters every crevice in my soul, canceling and mending all the sorrow and past hurt.
The gushing rain rumbles around us with rhythmic cadence. Its music creates the perfect underpinning for our hammering heartbeats.
Suddenly I feel like dancing. I feel wholesome and happy with Laia in my arms.
I swirl Laia around slowly as if we were swaying to the storm’s melody, while we fight a playful battle to demonstrate who missed the other more.
I think I’m almost winning it when Ellie’s cheerful yell breaks our bliss.
“Here you are!”
We both turn our heads to my sister standing a few feet away under a red restaurant umbrella.
I lower Laia to the ground but don’t release her.
An ear-to-ear smile stretches on Ellie’s face as she winks at us. “Please, carry on. It was better than a blockbuster movie. Far more moving. I swear you looked like the couple on the cover of The Notebook.”
Laia’s cheeks blush, but her arms remain around my torso.
I’m glad she doesn’t feel bashful about showing her feelings anymore, because I’m sure not shy to shout to the whole wide world that I want to be with her.
“Did you worry about us?” I ask my sister. “You shouldn’t have. Your masterplan went down perfectly.”
Ellie wipes her forehead in a theatrical gesture. “Huh, I’m relieved. As time passed, I wondered whether you might’ve missed Laia and actually set out to check the bus schedule.”
“No, Devon found me,” Laia replies. She throws me a slanted glance, then grins at my sister. “And I was lucky because he forgave my stupid behavior.”
“There was nothing to forgive.” I wink at Laia. “And I’m the lucky one.”
Ellie giggles. “I guess my comparison wasn’t that far off. You really are a gushy couple in love now, how sweet!”
My chest warms at Ellie’s voice. It’s almost as euphoric as if it were her who found the love of her life. Ellie is such a good sister, and if Laia and I are together, it’s also her merit.
I wiggle out from Laia’s embrace gently and step over to Ellie. I hug her and plant a peck on her cheek. “Without you, Ellie, it wouldn’t have been possible. I owe you a big thank you, sis.”
Laia comes and embraces Ellie also. “Yes, Ellie, thanks for seeing what was best for us before we even realized it ourselves.”
“Guys, you are so welcome.” Ellie sucks in two rapid and then one long breath, her go-to strategy to fight back overwhelming emotions, then she clears her throat. “We should probably get you dry. You’ll catch a cold in these wet clothes. Let’s go back to Dev’s car.”
“Being out in the rain is fun,” I chuckle giddily. “You should try it, too.”
Laia gives me an approving smile as if she understands perfectly what I’m saying.
Ellie, on the other hand, scrunches her nose. “No, loverboy, I’m fine under this umbrella. And I think it’s enough of a Nicholas Sparks romance for now. We don’t want you or Laia to kick off your relationship with a runny nose, or worse, a fever.” She gives us her serious I-know-what-I’m-talking-about glance.
“Right,” we answer in a chorus, water dripping from our noses and eyelashes.
I fetch the umbrella Laia tossed to the pavement and close it. It doesn’t make sense to protect ourselves from the water, given that we’re both already soaked. I take Laia’s moist fingers, and we saunter behind my sister, hand in hand, to the restaurant’s parking.
“You make me happy,” Laia whispers to me.
“And you turned me into the man I never knew I could be,” I reply and plant a kiss on the top of her head.
While we walk, I bask in the elation that circles through my veins.
Ellie might be worried that we’ll get sick, but the glow in my chest could brighten any weather. I could be out in a snowstorm and still feel fuzzily warm, as long as Laia and I are together.
I guess that’s what it feels like having a soulmate, after all…
Epilogue
(Laia)
As soon as I step into the lobby at Hudson Communications, Steve’s and Chuck’s smiling faces greet me.
“Good day, Ms. Laia,” Chuck exclaims.
His enthusiastic salutation blends in with his colleague’s deeper, “Hello, Laia.”
It’s incredible how natural it feels to be coming into this building even though I don’t work here anymore. Maybe the reason for my ease is that I’ve gotten into the habit of popping in on every Friday to drag my boyfriend to a proper lunch. I guess it’s my way of expressing to Devon just how grateful I am that we’re a couple and that he helped me land this editing assistant job in a well-reputed publishing house.
I still can’t believe I’m allowed to do what I love the best—read—and get paid for it.
What’s even better is I managed to negotiate a thirty-two hours per week contract with the head of my department, which grants me a day off to work on my own writing.
And have a short date with Devon.
A prickle of excitement courses through me as I think about the big news I’ll share with him today.
I hurry by the reception desk and wave to Michael, who’s pouring a bright-orange powder into his cup. It must be that fizzy drink Devon is running the launch campaign for.
I pat Hudson’s head, a weird habit I picked up from Devon, then hurry to the elevator.
Katja jumps up from her desk as she sees me approach and closes me into an entirely awkward but all the more affectionate hug.
“So nice to see you again, Laia.”
“And you too. How are your grandchildren?” I ask.
Katja launches into a detailed account of how her daughter decided to take the kiddos to Russia for a semester to pick up more of their language.
Theresa, Devon’s new assistant, a redhead with countless freckles and an amiable smile, steps over just as Katja rounds up her tale.
“You better go inside, Laia. Devon has been asking whether there were any reports about subway accidents.”
&nb
sp; I roll my eyes and chuckle. “I’m only ten minutes late compared to my usual arrival time. Okay, I guess I’ll be on my way before Devon can alert the firemen or something.”
Devon is on the phone when I step inside his office. He stands with his face to the window, and from the warm timbre his voice is hitting, he must be speaking with Ellie. His white shirt is tucked into black jeans, while his blazer rests on his chair.
“I’m sure you’ll get the break next time, sis. You’re so good. Just don’t lose faith in yourself,” he says.
Oh, no. Ellie must have missed out on that promotion she so desired.
I pull the door shut quietly to avoid interrupting their conversation, but even the faint click alerts Devon of my presence. He whips around, and a bright smile appears on his face.
“You know who just arrived?” he tells Ellie then bobs his head. “Indeed…” He waves me closer. “Of course, I’ll tell Laia. While you girls do your dinner thing, I’ll catch up with Pete.”
I reach Devon and plant a kiss on his neck.
As I whiff at his familiar cologne, I hear Ellie saying good-bye to her brother.
Devon says good-bye to her, too, then drops his phone on the desk. He turns back to me and snakes his arms around my waist. “You’re late, love. I was beginning to worry.”
“I know, Theresa told me you were making her check the local news.”
A flustered glint invades Devon’s eyes, and he pulls up his shoulder in a boyish what-can-I-do way. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I’d much rather have you drive your own car.”
Devon and I have spent various weekends visiting car dealers, and I’ve tested many second-hand vehicles trying to find a suitable alternative to the public transportation I currently use to reach the publishing house.
But my heart is set on an Audi, and I still need to earn more before I can buy one.
“You know I promised Richard I’d buy his wagon.” I grin, reminding him of the young salesman from the car show. “I can’t really back out on my word, right?”
Law #2: Don't Play with a Player: A Sweet Office Romance Story (Laws of Love) Page 31