Chapter 59
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Juls was still standing there, that same easy smile on his face that Elara remembered from Santorini. He looked really good, dressed in a tailored shirt and dark jeans that somehow managed to look both casual and expensive at the same time.
“Mind if I join you ladies?” he asked politely, his voice so calm and yet sexy.
Elara looked over at Mimi, who was already giving her that look. The one that said yes, absolutely, let this fine man sit with us. Mimi nodded enthusiastically, trying not to look too eager but failing miserably.
“Sure,” Elara said, smiling. “We don’t mind.”
“Great. Let me grab a chair.” Julius walked off toward the back of the restaurant where the extra seating was kept.
The second he was out of earshot, Elara leaned forward and started whispering to Mimi in a rush. “That’s him. The guy I told you about. From Santorini.”
Mimi’s eyes went wide. “Wait, this is the dude that made Marcus go all cuckoo? The one that had your husband losing his mind with jealousy?”
Elara nodded, trying not to laugh at the memory of Marcus’s face when she’d come home that night.
“And this is the same guy you refused to give your number to?” Mimi was grinning now, thoroughly entertained. “The one you told to find you if he wanted to see you again?”
“Yes, that’s him.”
“Ahhh, he’s fine ooo.” Mimi was practically drooling now, leaning back in her chair to get a better look as Julius walked back toward them carrying a chair.
Elara shook her head, teasing. “Everybody is fine in your eyes. I swear, you have no type or standards.”
“That’s not true. I have very high standards. They just happen to include anyone with a nice face and a good body.”
They were both trying to contain their laughter when Julius returned, setting the chair down and settling in beside them like he’d been part of their dinner plans all along.
“So,” he said, looking at Elara with genuine curiosity. “What brings you to this place?
“I live here in New York actually. I was in Santorini for my vacation.” She gestured to Mimi. “This is my best friend, Mimi. We’re just having a girls’ dinner.”
Julius turned to Mimi, his smile widening. “The best friend you got the charm bag for, right?”
Elara blinked, half surprised he’d remembered that little tiny detail. “Yeah, actually. How did you remember that?”
“I pay attention.”
Mimi cut in immediately, looking at Elara with mock offense. “Wait, hold up. You got me a bag and you
Chapter 59
haven’t even mentioned it? Girl, where is it at?”
“It’s at home,” Elara said, laughing. “I’ll bring it for you soon, I promise.”
“You better.”
TAD VIVETIOS
They all laughed, the conversation flowing easily like they’d known each other longer than just this one chance encounter.
Elara turned the question back on Julius. “What about you? What are you doing in New York?”
He leaned back in his chair, relaxed and comfortable. “My uncle is having an event. He asked me to come out for it, so I figured why not. Haven’t been to New York in a while.”
“What kind of event?” Mimi asked, always the curious one.
“A charity gala. He’s raising money for youth arts programs in underserved communities. Big fancy thing with donors and speeches and all that. It’s actually happening in three days, right here in this restaurant. Well, in the private event space upstairs. My uncle owns the place.”
Elara raised her eyebrows. “Your uncle owns this restaurant?”
“Yeah. He’s got a few spots around the city. This one’s his favorite though.” Julius looked between the two of them, his expression turning a bit more hopeful. “You two should come. To the gala, I mean. If you
want.”
Mimi jumped in before Elara could respond. “If we want, or if you want us to?”
Julius smiled, not even trying to hide it now. “Yeah, I want you to. Both of you. It’ll be fun. Good food, good music, and you’d be supporting a good cause you know.”
“We’ll think about it,” Elara said, though she was already considering it. It had been a long time since she’d gone to an event that wasn’t work-related or part of her contract obligations with Marcus.
Julius nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer. Then his expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious but still playful. “You know, you made things difficult for me back in Santorini.”
“How so?”
“You refused to give me your contact. Told me I’d have to find you if I wanted to see you again.” He shook his head, smiling. “Which I technically did, because when this event came up, I didn’t even want to come at first. I had work piling up back home. But then I thought, the princess I met in Santorini told me she lives in New York. What if I’m lucky enough to run into her again?”
Mimi did that thing with her finger, snapping and pointing at Julius like he’d just said the most romantic thing she’d ever heard. “That’s the energy! That’s what I’m talking about!”
Elara felt her cheeks getting warm, the blush creeping up her neck. She tried to play it cool but knew she was failing.
Julius pulled out his phone and slid it across the table toward her. “So, can I have your contact now, princess?”
She picked up the phone, punched in her number, and handed it back to him. Their fingers brushed for
14:47 Mon, May 11
Chapter 59
just a second, enough to send a small jolt through her that she tried to ignore.
“I’ll give you a call, okay?” he said.
“Yeah, okay.”
Julius stood up, pushing his chair back. “I’ll leave you two ladies to enjoy the rest of your dinner. And when you’re done, leave it on my tab. I’ll sort it out.”
Elara started to protest. “You don’t actually need to do that”
Mimi pinched her leg under the table, cutting her off mid-sentence. Elara bit back a yelp and glared at her friend, who was smiling sweetly at Julius.
“Thank you,” Mimi said smoothly. “We’ll do just that.”
Julius nodded, gave them both one last smile, and walked away.
The second he was gone, Elara turned to Mimi. “Why did you pinch me?”
“Because you were about to turn down a free meal from a fine man with money. Are you crazy?”
They finished their dinner, talking and laughing. When the bill never came and the waiter confirmed it had been taken care of, they left feeling full and satisfied.
Mimi drove Elara home, teasing her the entire way about how she couldn’t leave a pregnant woman carrying twins alone at night. But really, the conversation kept circling back to Julius.
“The eye contact was crazy,” Mimi said as she navigated through the streets: “Like, the sexual tension between you two? I almost gave you privacy.”
“Girl, stop.” Elara was blushing again, grateful for the darkness of the car.
“But he’s fit though, right?” Elara asked.
“Fit alone can’t describe him. That man is sexy.”
Mimi looked at her, eyebrows raised. “So you do see it.”
“I see it. But you know I can’t do anything while I’m under this contract with Marcus.” Elara paused, thinking about it. “Honestly though, I really do like Marcus more. There’s something about him that just gets to me, even when he’s being an ass. But after two years, when the contract is done? It wouldn’t be bad to be with someone like Julius.”
“It wouldn’t be bad at all,” Mimi agreed. “Plus, he has cashhhhh.”
Elara laughed. “Stop. You and money all the time. Don’t you look at a man’s value beyond his bank
account?”
Mimi switched to her Nigerian pidgin, her voice taking on that particular tone she used when she was being real. “Na value go feed me? Abegi, make we dey serious.”
They were both laughing as Mimi pulled up to the gates of Marcus’s penthouse. The gate started opening automatically after Elara called the gateman’s name.
14:47 Mon, May 11
Chapter 59
Then they both went quiet.
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Immediately the gate opened fully they saw two men standing outside in the door way, guess who.
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