lover boy

Chapter 39

Cecilia Anderson

I was lounging in my living room, staring at my phone. It was late, but I knew it was time to fill Claire and Emily in on the drama from last night at the club. I dialed their numbers and waited for them to pick up.

Emily was the first to answer. Her voice was cheerful and curious. "Hey, Cecilia! What's up?"

"Hi, you won't believe what happened last night," I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

Claire must have been on the line too because I heard her chime in with a friendly "Hey!" and ask, "What's going on? Tell us everything!"

"Okay, so..." I took a deep breath and settled into the couch, replaying the chaotic evening in my head. I know my friends won't judge me."We went to this new club in Berlin. The vibe was electric, and the place was packed. The music was amazing, and the whole scene was just crazy."

"Sounds like a blast but what happened!" Emily interrupted, her excitement evident.

"It was," I agreed. "But then things took a turn. A group of guys walked in, and suddenly everyone was buzzing and whispering. I could hear people saying they were important or famous or something, but I didn't know who they were."

Claire was on the edge of her seat. "And?"

"Then I saw him," I said, feeling my heart race at the memory. "Jude. He was one of those guys. I couldn't believe it. Seeing him again just... hit me like a ton of bricks."

"Oh my God," Emily said, her voice full of shock and sympathy. "How did you handle it?"

"Well, that's the thing," I said. "I was completely overwhelmed. The moment he saw me, I just panicked. I pulled away from the conversation I was having and bolted for the exit. I couldn't handle it, and I didn't even give him a chance to say anything. How stupid?"

Claire sounded concerned. "That must have been so hard. How are you feeling now?"

"It's a mess of emotions," I admitted. "On one hand, I'm relieved I got out of there. On the other, I keep thinking I should have done something different. It felt so surreal to see him again, especially in that chaotic environment. I was such an idiot."

"That's totally understandable," Emily said. "Unexpected encounters like that can be really tough. But remember, you control how you respond. Maybe there'll be another chance to address things with him."

Just as I was about to wrap up the call, my phone rang. It was my agency. "Hold on a sec," I told Claire and Emily before picking up.

"Hello, Cecilia?" The voice on the other end was friendly but businesslike. "We've got some exciting news. You've been selected for the EM campaign. We'd like to book you for a shoot at the stadium. It's going to be a major event with a lot of media attention."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. "That's amazing! When is the shoot?"

"It's scheduled for the day of the first EM game for England. You'll be at the stadium and get to see the game live. We're excited to have you on board and can't wait to see what you'll bring to the campaign."

After I hung up, I turned back to Claire and Emily. "You guys are not going to believe this. I just got booked for the EM campaign! The shoot is on the day of the first game, and I'll be at the stadium."

"That's incredible!" Claire exclaimed. "How exciting!"

"Yeah, it's wild," I said, still reeling from the news. "And I'll actually get to watch the game, which means I'll be there while Jude is playing."

Emily sounded encouraging. "It sounds like an amazing opportunity. Maybe it'll help you deal with things better."

"I hope so," I said, starting to feel a bit more positive. "Thanks for listening. It really helps to talk about it."