WHEN YOU LOVE

TIME TO CHANGE

"Yeah, I mean no. No, Hollie, please don't lure me into this." Sana said, regaining composure while thinking Hollie almost had her.

"I'm not luring you into anything. I'm offering you an exciting opportunity where you'll be your boss. I'm sure we can do amazing things together, and you know it. So you want to try a few? Come on, Sana."

Sana sighed, "Alright, just one or two."

"Okay!"

They left the cafe for Hollie's apartment.

"Wow, it's so pink."

Sana couldn't believe Hollie's apartment was a Barbie replica. Everything was pink, even her kitchen floor tiles.

"I'm a Barbie, girl. Come on, let's get started."

Hollie showed her the pieces and talked her through the production process: " The first ones I got made were made in China, but a scout I know who travels a lot found me a producer in Portugal. I visited the factory and everything. They made the prototypes you're trying."

"The fabric is amazing. It's so stretchy and soft."

"I know, it's also very resistant. I had them do various washing cycle tests for the color and resistance. Also, they check to see all the sewing is seamless; otherwise, they look cheap."

Hollie was convincing. The women spent all day talking about the business plan. Sana left Hollie's place with a head filled with pink stars.

"How was your girl's day out?" Lee asked when she got back.

"It was fun and instructive."

"Instructive," Lee said, cocking a brow.

Hollie is so full of life and creative. She's the type of person who can make you believe you can walk through a brick wall.

"She sounds great. When can I meet her?"

"Meet her?"

"Yeah, you seem to adore her. You're constantly texting her and all. I mean, if she is a good friend I'd like to know her too."

Sana squeezed his cheeks, "Oh, you're so cute when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I'm cautious. You're not really gifted when it comes to picking a ride-or-die partner. We all adore Keela, don't we?"

Sana widened her eyes and tilted her head from side to side, "Oh, like you're better. How about Michael? And speaking of ride-or-die partners, weren't you a good choice?"

"I'm not a choice; I'm mandatory, and by the way, I choose you. I'm the one who discovered the diamond in the rough you were before that Scandi git called Olaf and the nation who saw you in the bikini. I made you Britain's little cutie."

Sana covered her ears before her eyes and vice versa, "I can't, I really can't."

"What, it's the truth? You'd think you'd be in the company's top one hundred without me."

"What are you talking about, Lee? Don't tell me there's a chart."

"There's always a chart, Sana. Men are idiots. You should know that by now."

The couple laughed. Sana realized how much fun she had with Lee and wished it would never stop, that their love would run dry.

"So when am I going to meet her?"

"How about Christmas?"

"We already have your parents, and the banshees will probably pop by since we won't be repeating last Christmas at theirs."

"Yeah, well, they can meet Hollie too."

Sana tried to hit two bowling pins at once. She thought it would be better if everyone met Hollie before she announced her project. There was also the fact that she had to find a way to explain how she had more than 100k euros to invest without taking a loan.

Even though her parents weren't keen on her telling Lee she was wealthy. She thought it was essential, especially if she planned on spending her life with him.

Yes, she was at the stage where it was evidence. Like the sun in a cloudless sky, Sana clearly saw her future with Lee. He was her guy.

"Sana?"

"Huh."

"You're spacing out. Did you hear me?"

"What?"

"I said Camille was here earlier."

"What did she want?"

"She said she was sorry, amongst other things."

Lee didn't talk about the pregnancy. It wasn't his news to announce, and he doubted Sana would be interested.

"How do you feel?" Sana said as she massaged his shoulders.

Lee took a deep breath. "I feel empty. It's like someone moved out all the trash, but the place still smells. I'm so used to it that I feel hollow."

"Well, you know what's left to do, right?"

Lee looked up at her, and Sana wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "You need to fill that space with love and happiness. I know it will take time, but just let everything go. The year was hectic. So many things happened, and everything was just so heavy between us and them. We must start a new leaf and focus only on our happiness."

Sana was right; between the hijack of his little soldiers and Dylan's walk on the wild side. The couple didn't have time to focus on their relationship. They didn't even go on vacation. Lee did a quick checklist and realized they hadn't done anything pleasantly memorable. They just went with the flow while squeezing their butt cheeks and praying to survive the year.

"I'll do better, Sana."

The woman let go and sat beside him, "what do you mean?"

"I promise I'll do better."

Sana wasn't sure she understood Lee's words fully; still, she grasped his jawline and kissed him," I'll do better, too. Let's improve together."