Nitzan, a 21-year-old, an ordinary girl who juggles life between her job at the airport and her studies at university. She escapes the daily grind on a solo vacation to the city of Nice, France, not far from Monaco, where she unexpectedly meets Luca...
The next morning, I woke up to a text from Lucas. He kept it casual, asking if I was still up for exploring and suggesting we start with a little café tucked away from the tourist traps. Part of me expected him to flake or make it some extravagant, over-the-top thing, but it was just simple.
I agreed, I got ready and waited for a text from him.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
And by early afternoon. I met with Lucas. He led me through the narrow, sun-dappled streets of Old Nice. The buildings were painted in warm shades of terracotta and soft pastel yellows, with laundry strung out on balconies above us, fluttering in the breeze. It was worlds away from the view back home. The city was intimate, something real that I hadn’t expected, Nice was casual and welcoming.
We stopped at a small café, tucked into a quiet corner with ivy climbing up its stone walls and wrought-iron tables scattered beneath a canopy of vines. It was simple, but it had charm. The kind of place you’d never find unless you knew it was there. Lucas gestured toward a table near the edge, where we had a perfect view of the narrow street and the distant blue horizon.
The café was exactly as he’d promised—quiet, with a view that overlooked the city, tucked behind ivy-covered walls. We sat in the shade, sipping coffee, and for the first time, we talked. A real normal conversation.
I settled into the chair, glancing around. “This is… nice,” I admitted, surprised by the choice. I’d half expected some flashy restaurant, the kind of place that screamed wealth. But this was different. Quieter is more personal.
Lucas smiled, a little proud. “Told you. It’s one of my favorite spots. Not many people know about it, and I like it that way. It's easy to get lost in the noise back home.”
We ordered coffee, and the server brought it out quickly, leaving us in the comfortable silence that only places like this seem to have. I watched Lucas as he took a sip of his espresso, his eyes flickering with curiosity as he looked at me across the table.
“Your dress is beautiful, matching your pretty eyes" Lucas said, leaning back in his chair.
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a sweet compliment i hear?”
He smiled slightly. “Is that a crime flattering a beautiful lady?"
I shrugged. “I guess no."
He looked at me "Say, why Nice out of all places?" *I shrugged* "I needed space. Life back home is a bit much right now.”
He nodded as if he understood more than I thought he would. “I get it. I’ve had moments like that too. Sometimes the whole Monaco lifestyle feels suffocating. That’s why I spend time here in Nice. It’s quieter. Less pressure.”
I looked at him, surprised. “I didn’t expect someone like you to feel that way.”
Lucas chuckled. “Everyone thinks it’s all glamorous, and don’t get me wrong, parts of it are. But you get tired of always being ‘on.’ Sometimes I just want to be Lucas, not ‘The infamous F1 driver.’ ”
