Chapter 178

“I do have some good news to share, though.” I threw a glance in Lucy’s direction.

She responded with a big, excited smile.

Nolan was intrigued.

Suddenly I was nervous. He and I hadn’t yet talked about anything related to my career since I’d come back.

“I don’t know if you heard about the little business I started on social media a few weeks ago?” I squinted at Nolan. I wasn’t sure if he’d been following what I was up to while we were apart.

He nodded.

“I didn’t have any expectations for that little enterprise,” I went on, “but it’s really taken off. I actually already went ahead and filed for a business license. And I made Lucy a job offer.”

“Oh. Wow.” Nolan looked back and forth between me and Lucy a few times. I saw the wheels turning in his head. He had a lot of questions. “And Lucy? Did you accept Yena’s job offer?”

“I did!” She leaned forward, grinning. “Oh, I’m so excited! We’re going to have so much fun.”

“So… what’s the plan for the business?” Nolan asked slowly, like he wasn’t sure if he was welcome to inquire. He seemed nervous too, actually. I was glad we had Lucy here with us to break up the tension a bit.

“Well, I want to build on what we’ve started with the limited release dresses and the online auction format. I’m thinking that with Lucy’s help, I can ramp up production and move a lot more inventory. Then… we’ll take it from there.”

Nolan cracked a smile. “That’s great. Good for you ladies. I’m sure it will be a success.”

Lucy, cross-legged and smiling, did a silent little clapping motion with her hands in a prayer position.

“So, does that mean you are not going… back to school?”

I nodded. “There’s nothing for me at the Noble Academy… the thought of going back there, it seems kind of pointless. This is what I want to do: design, create, and move my career forward.”

I couldn’t read Nolan’s expression. He nodded smally.

“And how about you, Lucy?” He switched his focus to her. “Are you going back to school?”

She bobbed her head side to side. “I enrolled. I guess I’m kind of on the fence. I’m gonna start classes, start working with Yena too, and see how it goes. See if I can do both.” She shrugged.

“Of course you can do both. Don’t worry about that, Lucy. We’ll work together whenever it’s convenient for you.”

Lucy was saying, “Thanks, Yena,” just as Nolan’s phone started ringing.

He snatched it out of the interior pocket of his jacket and looked at the screen. He silenced the call, but said, “I’m sorry, ladies. I’m afraid I am going to have to get back to work. Lucy, it was lovely to see you.”

“You, too.” Lucy smiled shyly. “Thanks again, Nolan, for everything.”

“You’re very welcome.” He turned to me and cradled my face with his free hand. “I’ll see you later for dinner,” he said a little formally. Then he leaned in and gave me a kiss. I think he meant for it to be a quick peck on the lips. But anytime our lips came together, it was hard to pull them apart.

When he wrenched himself away and swept out the room, I looked up and saw Lucy blushing, her eyes averted modestly.

I had never done this before: request a private audience with the Luna Queen.

But I needed my mother-in-law’s help with something, and after our recent dinner together, I did find her slightly less intimidating than I had in the past. I contacted her secretary to ask if I could meet with her, and was surprised when I was immediately invited up to her quarters.

The elevator door glided open and I entered Luna’s elegant sitting room, all decorated in gold and white. She was there alone, standing and looking at the gray sky out the tower window, presumably waiting on me.

I had to admire her sleek and elegant style. She looked somehow both formal and comfortable, wearing a simple floor-length, cream colored silk gown. Her thick black hair was pulled back in a loose but intricate braid clasped together at the bottom with an abalone clip.

She turned and gave me a curious closed-mouth smile as I walked inside. “To what do I owe this visit, Yena?”

I thought about doing a small bow, as I’d long ago been taught to do when greeting the Luna Queen and Alpha King. In the moment, though, I made a rather impulsive decision to go easy on the formality, and only gave her a very tiny bow with my head before saying hello and answering her question.

I needed Luna’s help with the project I was working on. I told her what I needed and she was completely accommodating. Her demeanor, as always, seemed rather bored as we discussed the details.

Before I left, though, she cast me a serious look and said she also a topic that she would like to discuss with me.

Now the very quick answer to my request for a meeting made sense.

I swallowed down some rising anxiety and nodded. I wasn’t sure what sort of verbal response was appropriate, so I waited in silence for her to continue.

She said, “There’s something we discussed before…” and instantly I knew where we were going. “Circumstances, I am sure you will agree, were quite different then,” she continued. “I am hopeful that your answer to this question may also be different now. Have you given any more thought to having a child? It seems to me that now, or soon, would be quite a good time…”

The honest answer was yes, it was something I thought about. It was a nagging question at the back of my mind that wanted an answer, actually. But I’d been putting off thinking about it.

I cleared my throat to be sure my voice would come out even, then finally answered, “I suppose that is something that Nolan and I ought to start talking about again.”

Look at that, I thought to myself – I am turning into a politician already. Spinning a non-answer to avoid a difficult question.

Luna’s green eyes narrowed. “I suppose it is,” she replied coolly.

Maybe it would’ve been good to come right out with this looming topic of conversation when I saw Nolan later. But he beat me to it, circling back to another touchy subject first. And one unpleasant topic per day seemed quite enough to handle.

Things between me and Nolan had been so good. We were finally back together after a painful time apart, back in our magic, making up for lost time.

Our reunion was feeling like more of a honeymoon than our actual honeymoon had been. Back then, we were only strangers. It was a whole new sort of love haze we were enjoying now.

Yes, there was still some unresolved stuff between me and Nolan… But talking about our baggage was so much less fun than the other stuff we could be doing together.

We’d just sat down to have dinner together when he said, “I was happy to hear about your plans for your business, this afternoon.”

If that was true – that Nolan was happy – no one told his tone of voice.

“Really? You’re not disappointed?”

He looked startled by my question. “Why would I be disappointed?”

I did a little shrug. “Before… you and I talked about doing something different. Going into business together, doing a big thing with retail…”

Nolan shook his head. “I should never have pressured you to do that, Yena. I got carried away… I should not have inserted myself into your career like that.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t really know what I wanted then, anyway. I think that maybe the time we spent apart was good for me, actually… gave me the space to think of my own idea. It was sweet of you to want to go into business with me, but it was just too much, too fast. Starting something smaller, from the ground up all on my own… it’s been simple and fun.”

I could tell that Nolan was at least a little hurt, hearing me say outright that I’d made up my mind not to include him in my business plans any longer. But his words were supportive. “Your career should be based on your vision, not mine. I’m proud of what you’re doing, Yena. It’s very impressive.”

“Thank you.” After dodging eye contact throughout this conversation, finally we locked eyes. There was something else on this subject that Nolan was thinking about, I could tell.

But in answer to my unspoken question, Nolan shifted in his chair, leaned in close and kissed me softly on the lips. I think it was his way of saying he was out of words, done with talking for now.

I was fine with that.