I scanned the menu and shrugged. “Maybe, although I’ve felt single for a long time.”
“Love doesn’t always have perfect timing. Just wait until you find the right person. Until then, live your life.”
We ordered from the server, sipped coffee, reminisced about my dad, and then she couldn’t help herself. “So any interviews coming up?”
“I don’t want to jinx it,” I said through a mouthful of French toast.
“Come on, you can tell your mom. Anyway, since when have you been superstitious? I could barely get you to go to church as a kid. I had to bribe you every Sunday.”
“I’m not superstitious. I just don’t want to get my hopes up. I have an interview next week with one of the top design agencies in the city. They specialize in branding and shaping passion-based companies. They also work with some of the biggest green companies in the Bay Area. It’d be a dream job.”
Her face practically exploded from happiness. “Oh, Lucian, that’s wonderful.”
“Mom, I haven’t even gone to the interview yet.”
“I know you’ll get it.”
“I should not have told you.”
She smiled knowingly. “You’ve always been too hard on yourself. When you go to that interview, Lucian, be confident, be enthusiastic. That little bit of cockiness you had before wouldn’t hurt either. Since you got laid off, that’s all changed. You act undeserving. You can’t help that the company was going under.”
After brunch and a long talk, I kissed my mother good-bye and headed back toward my apartment. I was walking up the hill in the Mission toward my apartment, feeling guilty about not feeling guiltier about my relationship with Laura being over. Kenny, a guy I used to work with, called me and asked if I wanted to go out.
“Go out?”
“Yeah, rumor travels fast.”
“What do you mean?”
“Laura told Cynthia what happened. Don’t ever tell Laura this, but Cynthia was so happy. She was like, ‘Good, now Lucian can find someone who doesn’t treat him like shit.’ Laura’s just not nice, man.”
“I know. I don’t want to go out. I’m gonna go home and work on some new presentations. Dude, I have to get this job I’m interviewing for next week, or I’m going to run off to a monastery. No girl plus no job equals turn to God, right?”
We both laughed at that.
I STAYED INSIDE my apartment for a week working on my presentation. The morning of the interview, Laura came over to get some of her things. She acted nonchalant while she dug through my drawers, looking for random pairs of her underwear.
“Honestly, Laura, I’ll mail them to you if I find any. I have to get going.”
“Wow, Lucian, could you be any colder?”
“I have an interview.”
Her eyes perked up. “Where?”
“None of your business. I mean, Laura, you’re a gluten-free vegan.” I pointed at my chest. “You don’t need this fried dough. Be on your way now.”
She was squinting at me and shaking her head. “What’s gotten into you?”
“We’re not going to be friends. So you can leave now.”
“Your mom came into the hospital two days ago.”
That stopped me in my tracks. “What? Why didn’t I know about this?”
“She didn’t want to stress you out.”
Laura was such a conniving bitch. She wanted to sabotage everything for me. “Then why are you telling me now?”
“I just thought you should know. She wasn’t feeling well. She found a lump in her breast, and they’re running a bunch of tests.”
There was something strangely familiar about that news. Maybe like the day I discovered that my father had prostate cancer. I hated Laura for telling me that way, without a modicum of compassion. “Nice bedside manner. Get out of my apartment now.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, go now. You’re heartless… empty… cold. I’m done talking to you.”
“Now we’re resorting to blatant insults? That’s very mature.”
“Really, just get out, please.”
She left, huffing and puffing.
I checked the clock; I had to leave in ten minutes to make it to my interview on time. As if I could only move in slow motion, I dialed my mother’s number.
“Big day for you,” she said, sounding as chipper as ever.
“What’s going on with your health? Laura told me—”
“Lucian, this is not your problem.”
“You’re my mother. It is my problem. Just tell me.” I could feel myself breaking down. “Do you have cancer? I can’t take two parents going through that within two years.”
Her voice dropped, and she got serious as though she was scolding a little boy. “Listen to me. You go to that interview, and you hit it out of the park. And if you don’t give it your all, what will that mean to me? I’ll know in a few days what’s going on in my body, and you will be the first person I tell. I promise. Until then, go get that job. For me, for yourself.”
I couldn’t say anything.
“Did you hear me, young man? Do not do this to me or to your father’s wonderful legacy. He did not raise you this way. Keep it together.”
I was on the verge of tears. I couldn’t stop thinking about losing her. When I hung up, I looked at the clock. If I didn’t literally run all the way to the building, I would be late.
Sprinting with my messenger bag under my arm, I made it into the lobby five minutes before my interview. It felt like the elevator was the slowest one I had ever been in. I tried to collect myself.
Once I hit the eighth floor, I made my way to the offices. The secretary flirted with me—I thought that couldn’t hurt. I went into a large boardroom and did my presentation. It went by in a blur, but everyone clapped at the end.
Bradley, the man in charge, walked me out, slapping me hard on the back. “You did great, man.”
“Thanks.”
“You were our last interview. We’ve had a lot of really qualified applicants, but I could tell everyone in there liked you and the presentation.”
As we headed toward the elevator, I tried to read between the lines and decipher what he was saying. Was he letting me off easy or was he telling me I got the job?
“We should have a decision by tomorrow,” he said.
BLOWING OFF THE rest of the day drinking wasn’t usually my style, but I had nothing else to do. I was a worried sick about my mom, who was spending the evening with her best friend.
Walking up the hill, I passed the Star Wars bar. I hadn’t been in there in a while. I didn’t recognize any of the bartenders. I sat on the tattered red vinyl stool.
“Two fingers? Scotch right?” the bartender asked.
“No, I’ll just have a beer. I’ll take that Belgian on tap.”
The bartender shook his head. “I thought you were a whiskey guy. I must have mistaken you for someone else.”
I had never seen the guy in my life, but I did think it was funny that he was dressed as Princess Leia. They usually didn’t cross-dress at the Star Wars bar.
“What’s your name?” he said.
“Lucian.”
“I’m Zack.” He shook my hand.
“Nice to meet you, man.”
“So what brings you in?”
“I live close by,” I said. “Just wanted to pop in for a beer.”
“Ah, I see. Well, welcome.”
I sat in that bar, thinking about what tomorrow would bring. Princess Leia wouldn’t take his eyes off me. He kept shaking his head and making me feel really uncomfortable, so I decided to call it quits after two beers and head home.
I WOKE UP to my phone ringing at eight sharp. It was my mom.
“I’m clear. No cancer. Nothing. Just some benign, old lady crap.”
I rubbed my face. “You’re not old, Mom, but geez, I’m so relieved.”
“Do you want to do brunch? You can tell me about the interview.”
“I don’t think I’m going to get th
e job. Just fair warning,” I said, before rolling out of bed and heading to the kitchen to make coffee. Spotting a framed picture of Laura and me in Rome, I rolled my eyes. What a waste of seven years.
“Why don’t you think you’ll get the job?” she asked.
“Just haven’t felt lucky lately.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not about luck.”
“I’m grateful for the good news I’ve already gotten today. Nothing could ruin that. Believe me, even if I don’t get this job, I’ll consider this a good day.”
“Okay, honey, well, you’ll keep trying if you don’t. Let’s go have a good meal. I feel revived.”
I was smiling when I left my apartment to meet my mother. My phone started buzzing from my pocket. It was Bradley from the design firm. My heart sank a little, but I pulled it together, popped into an alley, cleared my throat, and answered.
“Hello, Lucian Bertrand.”
“We all want you on our team. It was unanimous.”
“You’re kidding?” I tried to keep my voice steady as I acted like a teenage girl, jumping up and down in the alley.
“No, we’re not kidding at all. We’d like you to start Monday. How do you feel about that?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great, we’ll see you then.”
I almost hung up but caught myself and said, “Bradley, thank you so much! I’m truly psyched about this job.”
“We know. Your talent was enough, but it was your enthusiasm that sold us all. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
I went skipping into the restaurant, and my mother knew. She jumped out of her seat. “You got it, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“I told you.” She cupped my face. “Good things always happen in threes.”
We were laughing as we took our seats. “You said it’s not about luck. Was number one Laura breaking it off with me?”
She smiled. “No, number one was that I am cancer-free. Number two was that you landed the job.”
“And number three?”
“You’ll have to wait and see.” She winked. “Keep your heart open.”
After brunch, I walked my mom home and then headed back up to the Mission. On my way, I passed a magazine rack. Browsing the design magazines, I felt an excitable presence next to me.
“Oh my God, is it here?” she asked.
Glancing over, my eyes met hers. She smiled, warmth radiating from her chocolate eyes.
“Hi,” I said, a bit awestruck by her unique beauty.
“Hi. Sorry, do you mind? Can I squeeze in here and grab that?” It was a copy of Vogue.
“Of course,” I said. “Although I can’t actually say I’ve ever seen a person this excited over the latest copy of Vogue.”
She laughed, and it sounded like music. “That’s because my denim line is featured in it. Here it is! Ah!” She pointed at a page where some model was wearing Divine jeans.
“That’s your line?” I looked up from the magazine quickly, realizing I couldn’t take my eyes off of her for more than a second. I didn’t want her to leave. I was having eight thousand feelings all at once.
“Yes!” she said with so much excitement, it was contagious.
“That’s amazing.” I stuck out my hand. “I’m Lucian.”
“Interesting name,” she said.
“My mom got it from a romance novel.”
She laughed. “I’m Evey.”
When we shook hands, we shocked each other. We both pulled back. It was a spark.
Keep your heart open, Lucian. “We’re electric together,” I said.
“You’re very confident. Not unlike those typical romance heroes.”
“You’re very perceptive.”
“I’ve been told.”
“So I’m not usually one to brag, but I sort of landed my dream job today, and you… you’re in Vogue magazine. I think a celebration is in order. Want to grab a drink?”
“Yes! A hundred percent,” she said.
She literally jumped into my arms and hugged me, and it didn’t feel weird at all.
YOU KNOW WHEN you meet someone, and you feel like you’ve know them your whole life, even though you know you’ve never once laid eyes on each other? That was how I felt with Lucian. No one could forget a face like his. He was gorgeous, exotic, with this French creamy skin and longish black hair and blue eyes. His smile was warm, and his personality made him instantly approachable.
We went out to dinner and celebrated on the first night we met. Halfway through the night, I had forgotten whether we were celebrating our career accomplishments or celebrating the fact that we had met each other.
“Tell me everything about you,” he’d said.
He couldn’t believe I had never had a serious boyfriend.
“I’ve just never met the right person.”
“I get that. I was with someone for seven years, and really, it never felt like it would be forever.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “I want to see you again, Evey.”
“Really?”
“You just have this thing. You’re beautiful and funny and smart, and I knew in five minutes I’d want to see you again.”
“Do you believe in fate?” I asked him.
“I want to. I’m going to start right now. Can I eat dinner with you tomorrow?”
So soon, I thought? But that was old Evey talking. “Yes.”
“And Monday?”
“Yes.”
“Tuesday?”
I laughed. “Um, that might be pushing it.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ve had a lot of wine.”
After the restaurant closed, Lucian walked me to the door of my building. “I get it though,” I said.
“Get what?” He backed me against the glass lobby door and braced his hand on the back of my neck.
“How it feels to be with someone you really want to be around.”
“Exactly,” he said before pecking my lips. “See you tomorrow?”
I pulled him in and kissed him harder. “See you.”
“LUCKY BASTARD,” I said, as I twirled on the red barstool. The place was empty. It was magic hour and poor Zack couldn’t leave, so I thought I’d pay him a visit. He was dressed as Chewbacca, except that he had removed the headpiece. He basically looked like an average guy wearing a fur onesie.
“He deserves it, Mona,” Zack stressed. “Do you think I’ll ever get out of here?”
“Zack, we let a lot slip with you.”
“Can you get me a meeting? Like you got Lucian?”
“I don’t know. I’ll work on it.”
“You know he came in the other day, ordered a beer?”
“Really? How’d he seem?” she asked.
“Good. He had no clue at all. Like, do they just zap him and then give him a backstory and all that crap?”
“No. He’s always existed that way. That Lucian has always been that Lucian.”
“But he’s the same.”
“He is the same. Same soul. I don’t know if time goes back, or if they’re all created in our images, or we’re created in theirs. One thing I do know now is that whatever faith you believe in, true love is real… and it endures. Look at Lucian and Evelyn and all that they went through. He must have pleaded a pretty good case.”
Zack smirked. “I knew if anyone could pull it off, it’d be Lucian. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when he was talking to the big guy.”
“Me too, Zack. Me too.”
Dear readers,
Thank you so much for reading Lucian Divine. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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Peace, love, books, and chocolate!
Renée
Swear on This Life
Before We Were Strangers
Sweet Thing
Sweet Little Thing
Nowhere but Here
After the Rain
Thank you, most importantly to the readers, the dreamers, the bloggers, the sharers, and all the other people who took a chance on this book. This was an adventure for me, something totally different. Your unwavering support is hugely appreciated.
There are people in my life who have continued to support and encourage me. It keeps me going every day. Thank you, Mom, Dad, Rich, Rachel, Donna and the gang. Friends and certain members of our extended family who share my book news, my Ya Yas, and the girls in my neighborhood, I am so grateful to you.
Rich and Donna, I should mention, in case you didn’t read it, the kids probably shouldn’t take this one to their school for show and tell.
And just because I get to say this, Little Johnny, you bring me joy.
Colleen, thank you for serenading me and for all the other awesome things you do. (Making fun of my Austin photo not included.)
Thank you also to Christina, The Jane Rotrosen agency, and Jhanteigh, who have been constant believers in this magical world of books, and also in me as a writer.
Whitney, thank you for all you do and for being so good to me.
Dallon, thank you for being there, and for that one line.
To the always enthusiastic Angie and Heather. You girls make me feel like the real deal. Angie, you kind of started this whole thing, and Heather, if I didn’t think you had already found your calling, I would name at least three other jobs that you’d be the boss at. But what you’re doing is the most important.
Kendall Ryan, I adore you. Thank you for helping me.
Rebecca, you we’rent the worst assistant. Though I will add that Allison was much better. Thank you both.
Lucian Divine Page 20
