May's morning started with the bouquet of roses and the wine sitting beautifully on her table, reminders of her night with Lucien. She'd spent a few minutes just gazing at the note he'd sent, rereading his words and remembering the Italian message he'd texted her the night before. She'd laughed at herself, feeling like a schoolgirl as she looked up the translation on Google. Her reply, Buona notte, signor Romano, had been as formal as she could manage, trying to mask the thrill she felt in her fingertips as she typed it out. She'd gone to bed smiling, feeling a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.
At work, though, it was a different story. From the moment she entered the staff meeting, she felt the weight of curious glances, and her coworker Mindy's stare was especially pointed, edged with a malice that May couldn't quite ignore. The air was thick with unspoken questions, yet not a single one was voiced—not even by the manager. The silence only confirmed her suspicions that Lucien had done something to keep everyone quiet, and for that, she was grateful. She hated confrontation and could feel the tension just from the stares.
After an exhausting day of standing and waiting tables, she finally clocked out. It was 10 p.m. when she stepped outside, only for the skies to open in a heavy downpour. She stood at the bus stop, drenched and shivering as she waited for a bus that seemed never to come. Eventually, she gave up and hailed a taxi, sinking into the back seat, her clothes soaked through. As the car wound through the streets, her phone buzzed in her bag. She glanced down, heart skipping a beat when she saw Lucien's name on the screen.
"Hello, Mr. Romano," she answered, a small smile breaking through her exhaustion. "Thank you for the flowers; they were beautiful."
His rich, deep voice seemed to pour through the phone, wrapping around her like a warm embrace. "Hello, May. I do hope you had a nice day."
She laughed softly, wishing he could see her sheepish grin. "Yes, I did. Long, but good."
She climbed out of the taxi, paid the fare, and stepped into her apartment. Just as she closed the door, she sneezed, a sure sign that the rain was getting to her. She hadn't even finished putting her things down when she heard Lucien's concerned voice over the line.
"Are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah, just a little cold. I'll be fine."
"You were out in the rain?" His tone was gentle but firm, and she could picture the worry in his green eyes.
"Yeah, I couldn't get a bus in time and had to take a taxi," she replied, trying to keep her voice casual.
There was a moment of silence on the other end before Lucien spoke again, his voice softer but resolute. "Next time, don't wait out there in the rain, May. Just call me. I don't care where I am or what I'm doing—I'll come to you."
She felt a warmth spread through her chest, touched by his protectiveness. "Thank you, Lucien. But I wouldn't want to disturb you with my little problems."
"Nothing about you is a disturbance, angel," he replied, a smile in his tone. "Promise me."
She chuckled softly, feeling herself blush. "Alright, Mr. Romano. I promise."
Wanting to shift the attention off her rainy evening, she changed the subject, and soon they were chatting effortlessly. She put the phone on speaker and busied herself with getting ready for bed, grabbing a hot shower, eating a small snack, and snuggling up under her covers. Lucien's voice was a soothing lullaby in the background, and before long, she drifted off with a content smile, the last thing she remembered being the sound of his laughter echoing through the line.
