Closer to Love 💚

Chapter 18

Francesca sighed as she knocked on the door.  She smiled as Nick answered the door.

He looked at his watch and back at Francesca, "you're about two weeks too late Fran. What are you doing here?"

She chuckled as he stepped aside to let her in. "I wanted to check on you. Apologize for just leaving."

He sighed, "do you want something to drink?"

She shook her head as she sat at his counter and he leaned against the opposite counter, crossing his arms.

"Look Fran. You need to stop apologizing for following your heart. You're in love with Richard. It's okay."

She nodded, "I know. I could have loved you. If I'm honest I was in love with him before I met you. I'm so sorry."

Nick sighed as he shook his head. He stood in front of her, pulling her into a hug. "I know Fran."

She pulled away to look at him, "I want to be friends. If we can."

He nodded, "of course we can Francesca." He pulled away to sit next to her, "so how are you? Besides tan."

She laughed, "okay I think. Different dating someone in the public eye. Already having to deal with PR and rumors. Et cetera."

"Well sure. you've spent the last two weeks in a bubble. Won't always be like that."

She groaned, "of course. I know."

Nick shrugged, "but you love him, so it's worth it, yeah?"

Francesca nodded, "definitely."

He sighed, "well I can't say I haven't missed you. But I'm glad you're happy Francesca."

She nudged his shoulder, "thank you Nick."

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Francesca let herself into Richard's apartment to find him already sitting and talking to Alison and his manager Duncan and publicist Lisa. She sighed as she sat next to him and he kissed her on the cheek.

Richard looked at them as he placed his hand on Francesca's thigh. "Okay, so I think we all know why we are here."

Alison nodded, "you made a fool out of me."

Richard groaned, "our relationship was never real Alison. It was just for show."

She nodded, "I know. But we were sleeping together Richard. And now, you released the picture yourself first, making me look like a crazy ex when I did."

"That was my idea." Francesca sighed, "we didn't want you spinning the story that he was cheating on you or something when you never even had a relationship to begin with."

Alison scoffed, "as if a relationship with some assistant is going to last."

Richard squeezed Francesca's thigh before she could say anything. "We aren't here to discuss the validity of my relationship with Francesca. We both know we are serious and that's all that matters. We are here because you and I both need to clean up the mess that I made by being seen with Francesca and then running off with her. That's all." He turned to Francesca, "and we have some ideas."

Francesca nodded, "I thought that if Alison and I could be seen out together as friends, the public would see the break up was amicable. And Alison would be seen as the bigger person, befriending her ex-boyfriends new girlfriend." She looked to see them all shrug and look at each other. "Just an idea. I'm not going anywhere. Like Richard said, we are serious about each other."

Lisa nodded, looking at Richard, "you're right, she is good at this. We need assurance that you guys are in fact serious about each other and it isn't just going to fall apart in a week."

Richard chuckled, "it won't. From the outside world, it looks like we don't know each other well. But we've known each other for more than 6 months and she's moving in. We're serious." He looked at Francesca who only smiled at him before resting her head on his shoulder.

Lisa nodded again looking at Alison, "okay. What do you think?"

Alison sighed, "okay. I agree."

Francesca smiled, "great!" She got up and hugged Alison before she left.

Lisa stayed back after Alison and Duncan left the apartment. She looked at Richard who shrugged before looking at Francesca. "Richard suggested you coming to work on his team. With you being the closest to him, you both would be the ones that can best spin the public eye the way you want."

Francesca hesitated, looking at Richard.

"Look, it was just a suggestion love. If you don't want to, you don't have to. Everything would be run by you. You're the one being thrown into the public eye when you didn't ask for it. I'm used to it already. I just want you to be comfortable."

Francesca nodded, "okay. Trial basis. Okay?"

Richard smiled, "anything you want. You're the boss."

She giggled as she nodded, "uh huh." She stood up with Lisa, shaking her hand, "thank you."

Once everyone was gone, Richard turned to Francesca, "so how did it go with Nick?"

She shrugged as she wrapped her arms around his midsection as she looked up at him, "good. Gonna try to be friends. If that's okay with you."

He nodded, "of course it is. Thank you for today. And for Alison. You're so great."

"I know." She giggled as he laughed before kissing her neck.