SAM

For as long as I can remember, the only thing that has mattered to me is my family: making them proud, making sure they can live the best life possible. It is like a great puzzle of which you are a part, and of which you must also take care that no piece or part is broken or lost. Family unity is very important, a united family is always a solid family. And to be someone who keeps your family together, you need to be someone with a lot of strength, someone who has an iron soul to continue consolidating that stability within the family nucleus. Not everyone could cover such an important role.

I took on the role of caretaker from a very young age. It wasn't like it was pushed to me; I accepted it willingly. I saw what my dad did for my mom, for his sister, for us, and I decided I wanted to be like him. Selflessly sacrificing, working hard to be a man. A successful, respected and good man. And what better example than the one who saw me grow and gave for me, my father, that man whom I had always respected and still do. Although to become like him I need to obtain some very important characteristics that almost no one gets to show off.

I have managed to get just one of those features. I am successful, that cannot be denied in any way. But respect is hard to earn, and most people don't really think of me as a good person. However, I have never let that bother me. Put on a cold, indifferent facade, and suddenly you're untouchable to the world. They can't prick you with thorns if you're wearing armor. It is one of the hidden rules of psychology to achieve success in life. But not even the most successful man in the world can establish the idea that he is respected, and even less in the business field, many people always see you more as a rival than as a person of respect. My father was unique, he had both characteristics. But he was always very modest about it, he didn't like to be praised for that kind of thing. How much admiration I felt for him, which owes all my respect to his memory.

"Mr. Carius, are you with us?" asks one of the board members.

His black suit has been perfectly tailored on his plump body. The thick black mustache over his mouth does nothing to hide the menace I can see on his face. He is a shark; we all are. I give him a cold smile.

"Of course."

There are fifteen of them. They all came together to build this company with my father at the helm. They invested, conspired and worked hard to get Carius Industries to where it is today. There is no Carius Industries without any of them. And they are very proud of that fact.

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is to forget how capable I am. I'm the boss, the CEO. That will never change.

"Fine. You can continue," I tell the marketing director.

The meeting continues and I do my best to ignore his disapproving smirks and sneaky sarcastic comments from him. It's been six years and they still don't respect me like they respected my dad.

I'll never be him, and now he's not even here as my support system. And that knowledge will always haunt me.

* * *

“I need those files on my desk in ten minutes,” I tell my secretary as I walk past her desk.

He nods and his eyes follow me to my office. Once inside, I collapse in my chair and groan. I'm tired. I haven't been home in two days and I haven't eaten in twelve hours. But I'm on the verge of a breakthrough, and honestly that's all that matters.

We're this close to winning a big contract: distractions are the last thing I need. However, I am forced to hold that thought when my phone rings. I sigh inwardly before picking it up.

"Hello, distraction."

"What do you mean by distraction?" my mom asks, confused.

"Nothing. How's your day going?" I ask quickly.

"Good. I went shopping with Meredith.

"Where?"

"Las Vegas. We had a wonderful time. I have some amazing wedding items,” she replies.

It never ceases to amaze me how my mom can talk about taking a private plane and flying to another state like nothing happened. My family is rich, of course, but it is something that is never on my mind. Probably because I work too much and don't have time to enjoy the wealth I'm accumulating for us. My mother always tells me that I work hard just so I don't have time to really enjoy life. Before it was difficult, now I really feel the weight of everything on my shoulders. The last thing on my mind is enjoying life when everything can fall apart if I'm not focused.

"I'm sure you did," I tell him. “Listen, mom, I have to go. I have a lot of work to do.

“All you do is work. Have you eaten anything today?"

I briefly consider lying. The problem is that it's not really in my nature.

“I ate a donut around seven a.m. m.”, I inform him.

She gasps.

"That is a sacrilege."

I smile. "Don't be so dramatic, mother."

“It's good that you're coming home in two weeks. I need you to eat well. Maybe I'll even find you a wife while I'm at it.

"Woah, woah, woah, I've agreed to come home as long as you don't try any matchmaking ploys."

"Oh, did I say that? That's too bad. It's okay, I won't try any matchmaking ploys,” she promises.

“You can't make Meredith do it for you, either,” I say dryly.

"Chicken nugget," she whines.

I laugh. My mom doesn't like to swear openly, and you can get in a lot of trouble if you swear in front of her. I thought words like "chicken nugget" and "pizza sauce" were normal swear words for most of my childhood. High school was interesting, to say the least.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" I ask, ready to hang up.

"Wait, I haven't even told you the best part yet," she states.

I wait five seconds for her to speak until it's clear that she wants to prolong the suspense.

"Come on, mom, spit it out," I say impatiently.

“Okay, okay. Lisa’s back in town!” she exclaims.

“I’m sorry, who?” I ask in shock.

“You know, Lisa? Your brother’s ex-girlfriend, Lisa.”

“I remember her,” I mutter. “What’s she doing in Arcola? I thought she went to LA to become some big-shot lawyer.”

Funny she’s coming back right around the time my brother has decided to start a new chapter with another woman. I’m not a big believer in coincidence. And I really don’t trust Lisa. I swear to God, if she’s trying to manipulate Marty… She was always really good at sinking her claws into him.

And me too.

I clench my teeth to force out the memory. It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.

“I’m not sure about the details. I ran into her mom at the store the other day and she told me she was back. Apparently, she’s moving back to town. I haven’t seen her, though. Isn’t this amazing? All my babies are coming back.”

“I’m not coming back,” I dispute.

“Of course you are. You’re spending your two-month vacation back home after the wedding.”

“One month. And it will be a short one-week trip for the wedding instead of a vacation, if this deal doesn’t go through.”

“Of course it will. You’re the best, sugar. Also, you’re spending two months at home, and I will hear no arguments.”

I decide to keep quiet and roll with it.

“Alright, alright. Can I hang up now?”

“After you’ve picked up the phone and asked your secretary to order you some food,” she states.

I groan before hurriedly doing as she asked.

“There, happy?”

“Very. Bye, my love.”

“Bye, Mom,” I say before hanging up.

* * *

|A glass shattering is the first thing I hear when I open my eyes.

“What the fuck?” I whisper as I get out of bed.

I pull on some clothes and head downstairs to find the source of the noise.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Carius,” one of the maids says upon sighting me at the doorway to the kitchen.

“Trina, you know my mornings are sacred. I barely get any sleep as it is,” I say, trying to rein in my frustration .

“I realize that, Mr. Carius, but she was recently hired and she hasn’t gotten the hang of how things are done here yet.”

I’m silent for a few seconds before turning to the short young woman at the back. She makes sure to avoid my eyes and she looks like she’s a little scared.

“Hey, step forward,” I say to her. “I’m not going to fire you over broken glass, if that’s what you’re scared of. But I do have a few rules. First and most important rule, please, do not disturb my sleep,” I say.

With that said, I turn around, grab the cup of coffee from Trina’s already outstretched hand and exit the kitchen. I went to bed around 4 a.m. and it’s currently seven, which means I had about three hours of sleep. I had planned to get four, but I suppose I had better get on with my day.

“We talked about this, Sam. No more tormenting the staff,” someone says from behind me as I start to climb the stairs.

I turn around to face my little brother.

“What are you doing here?” I question while taking a sip of my coffee.

He’s dressed casually in gray joggers and a white T-shirt. His long dark hair is styled in a messy, disheveled way that he swears is his fiancée’s favorite look on him. His green eyes are so unlike mine yet so similar at the same time. It’s the expression in them. Someone once told me my eyes look haunted, while Marty’s look alive.

Marty is like a golden retriever. I’m a vampire. The same person who described our eyes was also more than happy to provide me with that depiction.

“I can’t come to see my big bro?”

“You should be busy with wedding preparations,” I state, turning around and heading up the stairs. He follows, of course.

“I am busy, but Mom told me to check up on you. With good reason, I can see. What did that poor girl do to you?”

“She broke a glass and woke me up.”

“Don’t you think you’re to blame for buying a house that echoes so terribly?”

I turn and glare at him. He rolls his eyes.

“Alright, fine. I get that she broke something and woke you up but it was an accident. Couldn’t you have scolded her in a nicer way?”

“What’s the point of scolding if it’s done nicely?” I retort.

Marty chuckles. “You don’t even want to try to be a nice guy.”

I shrug. “It’s not really my thing.”

We enter my room and Marty immediately lies on the bed. The dark circles under his eyes suggest he’s not sleeping well. It might just be due to stress, though.

“Lisa’s back in Arcola,” I find myself saying.

I’m not sure why I’m telling him. I guess it’s a warning or something.

“I know,” Marty says simply.

“And you don’t care?” I question.

“Of course I care. I haven’t seen her in so long. I kind of miss her. I still don’t know why she decided to cut off all contact,” he says a little sadly.

“You’re not still in love with her, are you?” I ask.

“Come on, dude. I’m getting married. That’s not even a question you should be asking.”

“And that’s not an answer, Marty. You’re not still in love with her, are you?” I repeat.

He sighs.

“I haven’t been in love with Lisa in a long time. She was my first love and my best friend, but I’m over that. I’m over her, obviously.”

“Good,” is all I say.

I know one thing for sure. Lisa Lawson’s reappearance in our lives is going to change things. It’s inevitable. She’s like a force. It doesn’t matter what she does, she always makes sure to leave her mark. I can only hope our next meeting doesn’t have devastating consequences.

LISA

Marty Carius is getting married.

I’m seated in my parents’ living room, staring at an invitation card while my parents watch me carefully.

“You’re looking at me like you’re expecting me to burst into tears,” I say dryly, looking up at them.

They shrug simultaneously.

You know how twins can sometimes have some form of telepathy? They can sense each other’s pain, guess what the other person is about to say, that kind of crap? Well, my parents are like that. I don’t know if it’s because they’ve been married for so long or because they love each other so much, but Ed and Enid Lawson are like two halves of a whole. They’re each a part of the other, and I grew up wanting to find love like theirs one day.

I thought I had it with Marty as a teenager. Then with Rush in college, and then Rick, Brood, Richter. Safe to say, I’ve dated plenty, and with each relationship, I’ve found myself becoming more and more of a cynic about love. My parents are lucky. Love like theirs isn’t for everybody, and I’ve accepted that.

My dad’s piercing brown eyes are fixed on me.

“He’s your first love. We’re not sure how you’re going to react.”

I notice all the gray hairs mixed with his short dark hair. He’s getting old; they both are. I feel a pang in my chest at the thought. I hate having to deal with my parents’ mortality. In my mind, they’re superheroes that will live forever.

“We just want to make sure you’re okay with this,” my mom adds. Her eyes are a delicate gray color. They look so different seated together—my mom so elegant and classy, my dad with his beer belly and balding head.

I’ve heard numerous stories about how there were some hiccups in the beginning of their relationship, mostly because my mother comes from an affluent family and my dad was just some young lost kid when they met. My father stopped by the coffee shop and met the girl he couldn’t leave behind, as he put it, so he moved to Arcola and they built a beautiful life together. They faced a lot of criticism, but they transcended it all.

“Of course I’m okay with it. Marty and I are history. We broke up a long time ago. You can’t still expect me to be pining over him,” I tell them.

“We don’t, but we all know there are underlying issues with regard to this new development that we need to talk about,” Dad states.

I get to my feet.

“No, we’re not doing this. I have a lot to do. I’ve barely finished unpacking.”

I finally put my big girl pants on and moved back to the town I grew up in. Two weeks after I tried and failed to convince myself that LA was the right place for me to stay, I called my dad and informed him that I had made a decision.

It wasn’t a bad idea to start working my way up again from my roots. I drew a firm line at living with my parents, however. They helped

and me get a two-bedroom apartment near Noel’s new school. He started there a few days ago.

My son took it pretty well when I told him we would be moving here. I had been scared he would have a meltdown or freak out about it, but he was surprisingly chill.

According to him, he didn’t have a lot of friends in LA. I thought long and hard about it and decided Arcola would just have to be a fresh start for the both of us. I would have reconsidered my move, however, if I knew the Carius would be in town.

I’m not sure why I’m so surprised. Of course they’re here. The family practically founded this place. They’re in control of almost everything, from the department stores and small businesses to real estate. There are several billboards bearing their family name in bold letters. When I was younger, I used to joke that the town might as well be named Carius. That’s how influential they are here.

I guess it makes sense that Marty would want to get married here. It’s just a cruel twist of fate that I happened to move back here during this time. There will be no avoiding him. Any of them.

“Are you going to the wedding?” my mom questions quietly.

“No! I mean, I don’t know,” I say with a groan.

The disadvantages of living in a small town like Arcola are that rumors and gossip spread like wildfire. I’m a hundred percent sure the Carius already know I’m here.

He already knows I’m here.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before I moved back?” I demand accusatorily. “And don’t even try to deny anything. I know you knew. Why didn’t you guys tell me?”

They’re silent for a few seconds. Soon enough, my dad speaks up.

“We’re sorry, honey. We thought about it and just thought this was the best thing for you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I’m trying really hard not to lose my shit because this is seeming more and more like a ploy with each passing second.

“It means it’s time, Lisa.”

“You need to tell him,” Mom adds.

As soon as I get what they’re saying, my eyes widen.

“Like hell I do.”

My dad’s eyes narrow in my direction.

“I can’t do it, Dad. I really can’t,” I say, shaking my head.

“This isn’t about you. It’s about your son. It’s about his future.”

I settle back onto the couch and cup my face in my hands.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” I repeat.

“Lisa, listen to me. You can’t keep this hidden forever. They deserve to know. They’re Noel’s family. You’ll run into them eventually. It could be Sara, or it could be one of her sons, but you know it’s going to happen.”

“We can’t keep lying to them, baby. It’s not right,” my mom says. “I’m filled with an overwhelming sense of guilt anytime I run into Sara. I’m keeping her away from her grandson. Noel’s a bright light who brings us so much joy. Sam deserves to feel that, too.”

Her eyes are glassy with unshed tears. My stomach drops as I realize how serious they are about this. They practically tricked me. They took advantage of the fact that I was jobless and about to be broke, and they manipulated me into coming back home. Their hearts might be in the right place, but they had no right to take this choice away from me.

“Forget this,” I say, getting to my feet again. “I decide what happens in Noel’s life. Not you guys—me. I’m his mom and I’m fully capable of deciding what’s best for him.”

“So, what? You’ll run again? You’ll run forever? Is that it, Lisa? Did I raise you to be a coward?” Dad questions.

I grit my teeth.

“I’m not a coward, Daddy. But I’m also not ready to ruin a man’s life when I’ve been doing fine with Noel on my own.”

He opens his mouth to say something else but I don’t wait to listen. I grab my keys from the table and exit the house in a rush. I briefly consider going home, but as much as I want to lie down on my bed and feel sorry for myself, I’m an adult. And I’ve got adult shit to do.

* * *

“The tables should be there, Cleo,” I say, directing one of the girls holding a table to a particular area.

I drove to my new coffee shop as soon as I left my parents’ house. They signed the place over to me a few days ago. As a little girl, I always used to think I would end up inheriting the place from my parents. Then I grew up and got it into my head that being a lawyer was the next step and I could make a difference if I did so. Since that hasn’t worked out, my backup plan seems even more amazing.

My parents had been planning to sell the shop since they retired a few months ago. I’m lucky my life went to shit when it did. Otherwise, I would have really been jobless.

Lisa’s Place is one of the biggest cafés in Arcola. It started out as just a coffee shop, but my parents expanded it as time went on. The building has two stories, with a bakery on the second floor that my parents also own. Their friend Mrs. Lee runs the place.

Coffee is primarily sold at Lisa’s Place, but we also sell pastries and cakes. We deliver all over town and we’re the best in the area. It’s also a pretty place with a flowery aesthetic. There’s trees and pictures depicting nature painted on the walls. There are various flowers throughout the shop, courtesy of my mom’s influence. She loves flowers. The shop, or bakery, so to say, was my favorite place growing up.

It’s a booming business, and although my plans changed throughout the years, I’ve maintained a certain level of love for the place.

The bell at the front of the shop dings, and I turn around just as someone I wasn’t expecting to see walks in. My eyes widen and I close my hand over my mouth in surprise.

“Oh my God!” I scream just before a head full of blonde curls collapses into me.

I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly to my chest.

“I missed you so much, Lisa,” Dina says softly.

My parents might have found love with their soulmate, but my soulmate is my best friend in the entire world. Dina my ride or die. We grew up together. Our parents lived next door to each other. First walk, first bike ride, first day at school—every first until college, Dina and I did together. And despite not always living in the same time zone, we’ve never strayed too far from each other. She’s my twin flame.

“I missed you too, Dina,” I tell her before I push her off me, a little aggressively. “How could you not tell me you were coming!”

She chuckles. “Chill, chica, it’s called a surprise. Ever heard of it?”

I roll my eyes.

“What happened to Paris?”

Dina a professional photographer. She travels all around the world to the most visually pleasing places. It’s her dream job, combining what she loves doing the most: photography and traveling. It’s why we never really see much of each other.

Dina went to New York for college while I stayed close to home at the University of Illinois. After college, she stayed in New York while I moved to LA. She visits home whenever she can, though, and I’m guessing now is one of those times.

When I talked to her a few weeks ago, she was in Paris.

“I left about a week ago. I would have been here sooner but I was still recovering from the jet lag. I heard about everything from your mom,” she informs me as I lead her to one of the chairs.

We take a seat and I signal for one of our part-timers to serve us some juice.

“My mom talked to you?” I ask with a frown.

Dina like my parents’ second daughter. Her parents got divorced when we were in our teens, and even before then, Dina would come over to my house whenever her parents were fighting. They weren’t bad people, but they were certainly not the best parents. Her father moved away and practically cut off contact after the divorce. Her mom still lives beside my parents, though. She’s a quiet woman, content with the knowledge that her only daughter is safe and happy.

“Yeah, she called me when I landed and told me everything. I figured I would come here and offer some support,” she tells me, her blue eyes sympathetic.

“Speaking of support,” she says rolling her eyes when our high school nemesis Priya walks in.

“Lisa Lawson and Dina Bale, the town’s sellouts right here before my very eyes. I heard you ladies were in town and I just had to come see for myself. I mean, big-city girls like you in our small town of Arcola—to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Priya, I see you’re still the same old you,” I say, trying my best to force a smile across my face.

“Oh, I hear your husband is running for mayor,” Dina says. “Good luck.”

“Well, we don’t really need luck now, do we? He’s the best man for the job,” she says confidently.

Priya is a gorgeous, busty brunette. I’m not sure if it’s her intention to be a die-hard bitch or if she’s just been programmed that way because her mother is the same way—the one who must outdo everyone at the bake sale, dress the best at every event, and throw the fanciest parties.

“I love what you’ve done with the place in the short time you’ve been here, Lisa. What do you plan to do when my brother-in-law tears it all down?” she asks.

“Wait, what? What do you mean?”

“Oh, you didn’t know? Well, I guess I’ve said too much, then. I’m sure his people will be in touch. Just came by to get a latte and a few treats for my book club meeting later. I admit, I will miss this place and hope you find somewhere else in Arcola to put it,” she says, walking to the cashier to place her order.

They’re tearing down the building?

My parents had been trying to buy it for years since we’ve been operating our coffee shop here but the owner wasn’t willing to sell. Now they just want to tear it down. What the hell am I going to do? Dina tries to comfort me, but I barely have my thoughts in order so there isn’t much she can say to help right now.

“I don’t really want to talk about all that. Let’s talk about your Paris boyfriend instead,” I say in a bid to change the subject.

Dina raises an eyebrow but she rolls with it.

“We broke up, Lisa. I left Paris, ergo, end of relationship.”

Dina an eccentric person. She’s unpredictable, fun, and prone to heavy drinking and endless partying. But she’s also sweet and loyal and beautiful. Like me, she’s fallen in love a lot of times, but once the men she dates see through the fun-loving party girl and realize she’s a romantic at heart who wants more than they’re willing to offer, heartbreak becomes imminent.

Unlike me, though, Dina keeps trying. She firmly believes that she’ll find some man who will wind up ass-over-fingers in love with her. She can be a dreamer; I’m a realist. It’s what makes our friendship work so well.

I smirk. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.”

“Regardless, I’m back, baby! I’m on vacation and you’re not a lawyer anymore—think about all the fun we’re going to have when you’re too broke to get sued,” she says excitedly.

“Okay, first off, I’m still a lawyer. I will always be a lawyer. Plus, unlike you, I have to work. I own this place now, remember?”

Dina blinks before looking around the shop.

“Oh, right. Enid told me, but I didn’t believe you willingly took over.”

“Hey, I love this place!” I say in defense.

“Agree to disagree. You always used to say there were too many memories here. Memories you’d rather put behind you. It was your past.”

She’s right. I did say that. This building holds a lot of my memories—it’s rife with my history.

“And now it’s my present,” I tell her.

“That’s amazing, Lisa. You’re probably the bravest, most amazing person I know. You know that, right?”

I smile as tears well up in my eyes. “I know.”

“Which is why you need to tell him the truth.”

I let out a deep breath. And we’re back to this again.

“This isn’t some stupid story of how I stole his car a few years ago, or how I played a dumb prank on him. You want me to tell him he has a son. I was pregnant and he never even knew. It’s earth-shattering news. And he’ll hate me forever,” I say quietly.

Dina places a warm hand on my shoulder and rubs it comfortingly. “Since when have you ever cared what other people think of you?”

“I never have, but he’s different and you know that. This will ruin him forever. It will ruin us. It will ruin his family. I can’t.”

After Dina leaves, I decide to have a snack in my newly inherited coffee shop. I warm up a cheese danish and make myself a cappuccino before sitting at a table near the back of the restaurant. My mind drifts as I eat, and I remember the days I use to come in here with my friends and help out after school.

Me, Marty, and Dina once broke the coffee machine and blamed it on Sam. He didn’t actually break it, but it was his fault that it was broken. We were trying to make a drink and he walked in with his jersey off, and his hair was swaying back and forth like he was on Baywatchor something. He distracted me and Dina, so we pushed the buttons simultaneously and the machine went haywire.

We planned it out perfectly but no one believed he did it—he was always so damn perfect. We were all grounded and Mike got a special drink. Not our intention, but fair... I suppose.

I look out the window, allowing my mind to wander. For just a moment, I have no stress, no worries. I’ll deal with everything else tomorrow.

But then I hear a deep voice speak, and when I look up, it’s the golden boy himself.

“Got room for one more?” Sam asks. I find myself instantly captivated by his green eyes and a plethora of emotions run through me.

“Sam?” I say, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard the town lawyer was back so I figured I’d stop by to see if I found you here.”

“The town lawyer. That’s a first,” I chuckle.

“Well, that was the plan, wasn’t it? You were going to become a lawyer to represent people in our town, but instead, you moved away,” he says, his face full of curiosity.

“I’m not the only one who moved away. You guys left, too. Both you and Marty,” I remind him.

“I left for work; I came back. You were gone.”

“Well, I’m here now. What did you want to say?” I’m afraid to hear the answer.

He takes a few steps closer to me and I can feel the warm air from his breath on my neck.

He’s standing in front of me, and even after so many years, there’s still a spark between us. I thought it died the night he broke my heart. I thought we finally fulfilled the desire we had for one another back then, but heat fills the room, and we’re standing here desperate and wanting.

He takes another step closer and I think he’s going to kiss me, but instead, he places his lips near my ears and his lips accidentally brush against my ear. We both pause at the electricity surging between us.

“If I were you, I would skip the wedding,” he says before turning around and walking out, leaving me just as confused as when I left those years ago.

Sam Carius. Confident, powerful, asshole.