Lucille's POV
I jump on to finding a new model the next day for the sports magazine as soon as Mike told me about the assignment. I couldn't lose the biggest internship I would probably ever get. This is my last chance to prove myself and show Jan that I do deserve to work with the magazine. I send a dozen emails and make a bunch of calls to different agencies and male sports teams. I play the waiting game for their responses when I feel that I have contacted every agency possible. I, however, avoided Ethan's baseball team at all cost, of course. I couldn't work with him or his team. It would mean I would have to be around him, and I couldn't have that happen. This isn't a good time to be surrounding myself with him after the mistake I made with him.
"Lucille, aren't you going to show me around New York?" my mom asks me.
I'm checking my email and pay no attention to what she says.
"Luce!" she says louder. I turn to her.
"I'm sorry, mom. I just--- I have this important thing to do."
"Lucille, what's going on? You look stressed."
She gives a look of concern for me.
"It's nothing, mom."
"Lucille, tell me...I'm here."
It's been so long since I had a good conversation with her that it made me feel weird to tell her my problems.
She closes my laptop and makes me face her.
"Luce..."
"It's just... my internship...they might let me go if I don't do so well on this assignment..." I tell her.
"Honey, stop stressing yourself out like you did in high school. Just take the assignment a step at a time, you will be fine."
In this moment, it felt good to have her here with me in New York. Her motherly words made me feel a little better and relaxed, and I needed it. I really did miss the mother figure in my life.
"Thanks, mom..."
She smiles as I do the same.
"Where do you want to go today? I will take you," I say.
"Ooh, if you're taking me, then how about somewhere extravagant?" she jokes. I smile and nod my head.
"Why don't we invite Axel to dinner also? I would love to get to know him better."
I agree with her.
We set out to the city and I show my mother around the popular spots I've been to. We go shopping, eat at ice-cream parlors, and do a lot of sightseeing. The streets are crowded like usual with people rushing like their lives are in jeopardy. Shoulders bump against us as we pass by each pedestrian. I grab onto my mother's arm to keep us from separating. It felt good right now to explore New York with my mother. This is something I always wanted to do, but it never happened.
"I'm really happy to be here with you, Lucille. I really am," my mother says to me.
"Me too, mom."
She stops us in the middle of the crowded street and looks right into my eyes.
"Lucille, I want you to know that I didn't mean to hurt our relationship ever. I just wanted to show you how bad Ethan was for you. He only brought pain into your life and I, as your mother, didn't want to see that. I will always be your mother, but a guy like that won't always choose you. I'm happy you were able to realize that on your own. I'm proud of you..."
I plaster on a fake smile and say nothing.
Yes, Lucille. Your mother is proud of you, so be proud that you left Ethan, too. I tell myself.
"It's going to be a great two weeks with you in New York," she continues.
We head to a tiny, modern restaurant for dinner. The restaurant has leather, booths seated for each table. My mother and I look at the menu filled with rich delicates.
"Did you call Axel yet?"
"Yes, he's on his way to join us."
My mother and I order off from the menu first.
"So what's the assignment that your boss gave you?" my mother asks while sipping water from her cup.
I tap my fingers against my glass of water.
"Just something small..."
She gives me a suspicious look.
"C'mon, tell me. What is it?"
"I have to find a model..."
"That doesn't sound small. What kind of model?"
"A male athlete..." I answer, barely audible.
"A what?"
"A male athlete," I say much louder.
Her brows bump together in a scowl.
"You're not thinking of asking who I think you are, are you?"
"Of course not. I would never... I can't possibly anyways."
"Good, Lucille. It's good to leave the past in the past. Whatever happened between you two, I'm glad it happened. I should thank it or they. You're finally done with him."
My body stiffens at her words. I turn my attention to the water in the cup. She may not have known what happened between Ethan and I, but it saddens me knowing that she is happy to see me hurt in order for her to be right.
"Hello ladies," Axel comes right in the middle of the intense conversation. He kisses me on the cheek before he settles onto the seat next to me. I see my mother smile approvingly at him.
"Axel, good to see you again."
"You too, Ms. James. So what are we dining tonight?" he asks.
"I ordered you some pasta, is that okay?" I say.
"I love pasta," he grins. I smile back. My mother, on the other hand, continues her satisfactory stare at him.
Is she really that happy that Ethan and I are over because she really thinks he's bad for me? Or was she just happy to be right and prove me wrong? I shake these dumb thoughts out of my head. She's my mother. She only wants the best for me. There's nothing more to it. Any mother would want their child to be with the best person possible. And right now, Axel is the best for me. My mother and I may not have talked for awhile, but we can now rebuild that mother-daughter relationship we lost a year ago.
We finish dinner and Axel drops us back to my apartment. I check my email for any replies about the modeling as soon as I get back in. There are no emails of any athlete accepting the offer, but instead there are a dozen rejections. They all state that the reason for their decline is due to the training period along with clashes with games. I lay back against my chair. How am I suppose to find a new model with all these rejections? Jan would only allow me to keep my internship if I can complete this task. All these rejections lowered my confidence even more.
I suddenly yawn and check the time. It is a little past midnight.
"Lucille! Didn't I tell you not to stress? You're stressing by staying up late. Come to bed!" my mother says.
I look at the emails one last time and then shut down my laptop.
...
I spend the next 3 days with my mother. We seem to be closer than ever. It felt like that year apart didn't happen. It is like she's been living in New York with me all this time. In the middle of our mother-daughter date, I receive an urgent call from my boss, Mike.
I rush to the office as soon as Mike hangs up on me. I run out of breath from all the jogging I do by the time I reach the door of the meeting room. I take a second to catch my breath and straighten out any creases from my clothes. I head in when I'm ready.
"Lucille! Glad to see you," Mike says with a grin. Jan, on the other hand, didn't seem so happy. She looks displeased that I was able to find someone to model for us. I ignore her expression, however, and put on a good smile. All that should matter right now is that I am able to keep my internship. That was the deal after all.
"Come, have a seat," he continues to tell me. I nod and sit down with the rest of the company members.
"Thank you everyone for coming on such short notice. I am super excited to announce that we were able to find a new model for our magazine cover with the help of lovely, Ms. Lucille. I don't know how she did it, but within just a few days, she did it!"
Everyone hollers in congratulatory and excitement. I smile at my accomplishment even though I don't know who the new model is exactly. Mike had called me only telling me that the perfect model had agreed. I checked my email, but I didn't seem to receive any email back. I was too excited, however, that I thought I should question later and celebrate now.
"He will be coming in shortly to meet the staff. Please give him your love, support and appreciation...Oh here he is now!"
I turn my head towards the door to see Ethan walking in the direction of the meeting room.
My mouth opens wide in shock.
"Everyone, please welcome, Ethan Collins. The newest rising player in baseball today and our new cover model!"
Everyone claps when he walks up to the front of the conference room. He radiates confidence in his rolled up dress shirt with khaki pants, just like he always does. I, however, am too shock to move my hands. This couldn't be right. Was I dreaming again? In my daze state, I try to figure how this situation came to be. I am sure I did not send any emails to his team or agency. There is no possibility that he could have been the model.
"Good evening, everyone. Thank you for reaching out to me and allowing me to be the new cover of your magazine. I'll do my best to represent your sports magazine well. I, specially, want to give a thanks to Ms. James for allowing me the honor to model. I look forward to working with everyone here."
I stare at him with narrowed eyes.
Everyone looks over to me. I freeze with all the stares in my direction. I awkwardly smile, but I could see Ethan smirking in the front.
Mike and Jan wrap up the small meeting with Ethan. I rush out of the office to catch up with Ethan when I see him leaving the building. I jog up to him and grab a hold of his arm.
"Ethan!"
He turns around with an arched sly brow.
"Ms. James..."
"Drop the act, Ethan. How'd you end up here?"
"I'm a baseball player, Lucille. I'm everywhere."
"How'd you even know I intern here? I didn't even contact your people."
"Well, someone did. I'm here now, aren't I?"
"You obviously know I work here. You mentioned me when I didn't even know you were coming."
"Well, lets just say I overheard a buddy talk about it and I offered in his stead."
"Ethan... you can't be here."
"Why can't I?"
His voice raises which makes me jump a little. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he says, "Are you scared Axel will find out about what we did?"
My brows knit together in a frown.
"Ethan, don't..."
"Don't what? If want me to pretend like nothing happened, then I will."
"It was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened."
"Don't worry. I won't let our little secret out...for now," he whispers the latter.
"Ethan, please reject the offer."
He leans in and says,"If you call my name one more time, I might have to make sure you're doing something else while you're saying it too." He pulls away and stares straight into my eyes. I stay quiet.
"That's what I thought. I look forward to working with you, Ms. James. Oh, and try not to look too excited, we wouldn't want our past to come haunt us."
He sends a subtle wink at me and walks away.
What the hell is he trying to do?
I run back to the office to talk to my boss. I knock on her door.
"Come in," Jan says. I take a deep breath.
"Jan..."
"Yes, Lucille?"
"About Ethan Collins..."
"What about Ethan Collins?"
I pinch my jeans and organize my thoughts quickly.
"Well the thing is..."
She stares at me with glazed eyes.
"I can find us a new model... A football player, maybe? A basketball player?"
"What's wrong with baseball?"
"Nothing...I just--"
"Lucille, you found Ethan Collins, didn't you?"
"Yeah, kind of...well, not exactly..."
"Well, I think he's perfect. Good job, Lucille. Keep proving yourself. I might change my mind about you."
I awkwardly smile back. I didn't like how this situation turned out, but I could keep my internship... for now.
I walk out of her office and am met by Mike.
"Mike..."
He smiles.
"Lucille. I knew you could do it."
"Well, the thing is Mike..."
"Hm?"
I think about what I am about to say for a second. I could lose my internship if I confess that I didn't find Ethan to model for us. I don't know how he ended up at my sports magazine, but he's saving me... even if I didn't want it.
"Nothing. I just wanted to thank you...for believing in me."
He smiles and pats me on the back.
I can deal with Ethan. I could be professional. This is for work. I am not going to make a mistake a second time with him... I can do that, right? Of course I could because I love Axel. I...love...Axel..?