Page 27 of Always Meant for You
Relief cuts through my panic.
I touch the charm and extend my hand. “You must be Ms. Blaine.”
“Call me Chelsea. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mae.”
And then it hits.
I have to be Bella Mae in person, in the real world. No filters. No curated captions. No edits. Just me, standing here on the sidewalk, trying not to shake.
Chelsea glances at my necklace again. “TheMis for Mae, I presume?”
Before I can answer, a man in head-to-toe black appears beside us. His phone is in one hand, his focus entirely on the screen.
“Chelsea, darling, I need an espresso before I die. Is this her?” he asks, not looking up.
“Bella Mae,” Chelsea says smoothly, “this is Luke.”
“Twoc’s and onee,” he says, gaze locked on his cell.
I blink. “L-U-C-C-E?”
He lifts his gaze for a second. “That’s what I said,” he replies.
Chelsea nods toward the café. “Shall we?”
“Absolutely,” I say, casting another glance at the mystery man.
He wasn’t listed on their website.
Maybe he’s new.
Inside, Lucce heads to a window seat. He slides into the chair, his eyes never leaving his screen.
Chelsea and I join the line to order drinks.
She lowers her voice. “Lucce is my top scout. He devours social media. Lives and breathes it. He’s got an eye for talent that can’t be taught.”
I glance at him. He hasn’t looked up once.
“He appears very dedicated. I don’t recall him from your website.”
She smiles faintly. “He prefers to stay under the radar. Less distraction, more results.”
I did my research. I know everything that has been published about Chelsea and her agency. But Lucce is a wildcard.
Chelsea must catch the shift in my energy. She softens. “Don’t let Lucce throw you. We’re here because I think you have something rare to share with the world. Something real. Something genuine.”
Real. Genuine.
The words land like confetti and lightning all at once.
We step up to the counter, and Chelsea orders: “A lavender-infused matcha latte, an espresso, and one black coffee.”
I study the woman. “You know my drink?”
She offers the ghost of a grin. “I’m one of five hundred thousand and two people who know it.”
She knows Bella Mae. Not casually, either.
