+25 Bonus
“Ahem, Mia Lena gave Charlotte a subtle nce <b>and </b>cleared her throat, signaling M
Mia to drop the subject
But Mia didn’t care. She waved her hand dismissively. “Oh,e on. It’s been ages since the breakup. Lottie’s way past that. Right, Lottie?”
Charlotte gave <b>a </b><b>small</b>, resigned smile. “Yeah, I’ve moved on. These days, I’m all about my career. Zero interest in men
No worries. Let me show you his photo. Who knows–you might <b>change </b>your mind.”
“You still have a picture of him?” Lena asked, surprised.
Mia scrolled through her phone as she replied, “Not exactly. <b>I </b>saved it back in college and it auto–uploaded to my Google Photos, I never cleaned it out, so it’s still there.”
Charlotteughed. That actually works?”
A few minutester, Mia found the <b>photo </b><b>and </b>handed her phone to Charlotte. “Here. That’s Scott Lucas, Pretty handsome, right?”
Charlotte lowered her gaze to the screen.
The photo looked like it had been taken in a library. The young man set by a window, head down in a book, with shelves of books stacked behind him. Warm orange sunlight spilled across his shoulders, tracing the contours of his strong features–strilding brows, defined eyes, a straight nose. He really was stunning
Charlotte stared at the photo<b>, </b>briefly lost in thought. She could <b>have </b>sworn she <b>had </b>seen him somewhere before.
There was something strangely familiar about him.
Lena leaned in for a look too. “Where did you <b>even </b>get this photo? Isn’t that the library at <b>his </bw school? You went there?
Nope,” Mia replied. “A girl posted it on the <b>campus </b>confessions page when we were in college. <b>She </b>took the picture <b>and </b>uploaded it while trying <b>to </b><b>find </b>him.”
“So<b>, </b>Lottle,” Mia teated, “are you interested now
w that <b>you </b>un
you’ve seen <b>him</b>? I mean, look at that face. What a waste to be awyer. He should’ve gone into acting, That face looks like it was built by a 3D modeling program–literally.”
Charlotte chuckled. “Like I said, I’m not interested in men right <b>now</b>.”
Just as she said that, a warm, pleasant male <b>voice </b>chirmed in behind her.
“That’s a shame.”
Charlotte turned toward the sound, startled.
<b>So </b>did Lena and Mia
“No freakin” way! Speak of the devil–he actually showed up!” Mia gasped, eyes <b>wide </b>
Lena gave a polite smile. “What <b>a </b>coincidence”
The man wore a sharp charcoal gray suit and wire–rimmed sses. As he walked over, he smiled gently. “I just finished a meeting with a client nearby and spotted you three. Thought I’d stop by <b>and </b>say hello.”
“Fate” Mia whispered dramatically, shooting Charlotte a look.
Charlotte gave him a polite smile <b>and </b>extended her hand “I, I’m Charlotte Riley,”
He shook her hand. “Scott Lucas. Nice to meet you”
Lene smiled: “I was just about to introduce you <b>two</b><b>, </b>and here <b>you </b>are,
Scott smiled and asked, “Mind if I join you?”
She was sitting between Charlotte and Lena, so
pulled out the chair beside Charlotte and sat down.
The asked, ncing at them, “what were you talking about?”
Lema added, “Lottie’s opening her ownw fimm. I figured I’d introduce you two. If I remember right, you’ve been practicing for over <b>three </b>years now? Any interest ining on board as <b>a </b>partner?”
Scott turned to Charlotte, his eyes curving into a soft smile. His voice was warm <b>and </b>even
“Would I be wee?<b>” </b>
Charlotte looked at his face, and that feeling of familiarity only grew stronger.
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