Lucas Handler

"Crop tops? You can't be serious, Tal!"

"Oh, I'm very serious!"

"How can we show ourselves as a professional business if we let our employees wear crop tops?"

"I want people to dress how they want to dress."

"Baby, I hear you. And believe me, I'm the first person who will sign up for casual Fridays. But how will anyone take us seriously if we look like college kids who just stepped off the beach?" I glance behind me toward the couch. "Imani, back me on this."

"Imma let you two figure this one out. I'm busy over here."

Talia giggles and wraps her arms around me, causing my insides to melt. I could listen to that sound all day.

"I don't want our business to be like any other business. I want to make it how we want. I hear you, that people won't take us seriously. But then they're not the right people. I'm sick of adhering to what society expects of us. I want what we do to be fun. I want to attract clients who are just trying to make a living, not off running a company."

I sigh and kiss her. "I seriously love you."

"So, is that a yes to the crop tops in the allowable office dress code?"

I chuckle. "Fine. But, if crop tops are allowed then so are my sandals."

"Absolutely not! Imani! Back me!" Talia yells out to Imani who doesn't look up from her computer and continues typing.

"Yeah, Lucas. That's going to be a no from me too."

I mock-huff. "So, is this how this is going to work? You two are going to gang up on me every time I suggest something?" I tickle Talia's side and she tries grabbing onto my arm as she bursts into laughter.

"I'm only the COO, you both make the final decision," Imani calls out before closing her laptop with a smirk. "I also added a new rule, no making out in the office. We don't want y'all to scare off the new employees when we officially open shop next week."

"Veto!" I yell.

Talia crosses her arms. "Lucas, I thought you wanted to be professional."

"I do, baby. But have you seen yourself? I won't be able to not kiss you each and every day."

She smiles and gets up on her tiptoes to kiss me, sending my nerves into a frenzy of excitement.

"Okay, that's officially my cue to leave. Bye, guys. See you tomorrow," Imani says as she grabs her bag and leaves the house.

I mold myself against Talia again. I can't get too excited though. We've been working in this living room for hours and our stomachs started grumbling ages ago. Another loud rumble reaches my ears and I pull away. "How about this - we go out to that new diner down the street and eat lunch, and then when we come back home, I eat you out for dessert?"

"Mmm, I like the sound of that." Despite the plan being made, we continue to kiss and press our hands all over each other.

Another loud rumble. This time, it comes from Talia. I break off the kiss and chuckle. "C'mon, let's go eat."

We leave the house, walking hand in hand down the street toward the diner. I can't get over how happy I am. Everything about my life is turning out way better than I could have ever imagined. After Talia and I got married a few months ago, we went straight to work on a new business plan we've been talking about. Thankfully, my mom ended up planning most of the wedding for us, so we were able to focus our time on each other and our hopes and dreams for the future.

It turns out, the happiest we both feel while working in finance is when we're able to help the people who need it most. An example being when we taught some of the girls in Talia's dance class. A couple of the girls are already on track to become our first clients when we open up shop next week.

Sure, Talia and I won't be making nearly as much money as we did before, but it doesn't matter. We have plenty in savings and would still be able to make a modest income with our new business endeavor.

"Did you end up talking with your dad yesterday?" Talia asks as we near the diner.

"A little. He doesn't seem to hate me as much anymore when I told him more about the business."

"He'd never hate you. He might think he does, but he would never. Trust me, I know from experience." Her sexy-as-sin smirk makes my dick twitch.

Food first. Fuck later!

The door jingles as I open it and we enter a space bathed in warmth and light filtering in from the windows. The red, vintage-style booths line up the side at the window and the other side has a long silver bar with swivel stools. The sound of sizzles and clinking dishes along with the buzz of conversation fill the air. An aroma of burgers and fries travel to my nostrils and my stomach grumbles again. "Wow, I can't wait to try this place."

We make our way to an open booth and file in. A waitress with a white apron wrapped around her waist places two menus on our table before leaving. I glance up to thank her and my chest tightens right before the blonde woman leaves.

"What is it?" Talia said with a raised brow.

"Does our waitress look familiar to you?"

Talia's head shoots toward the woman who is now filling up cups of coffee at the bar. "She kind of does look familiar actually."

"Right? I can't put my finger on it though." I glance back at the menu and mentally pick the lunch special for my order.

"Maybe she's one of your exes?"

"Have you studied up on my exes?"

Talia giggles. "Maybe. But I don't think I know her."

The waitress comes back and smiles widely at both of us with her pad and pen in her hands. "What can I get you guys?"

My brows tighten. I've met this woman before, but it's not clicking where. "Sorry, this may sound like a weird question, but have you met either of us before?"

The woman glances between us as she smacks her gum. "You guys do look kind of familiar."

A gasp reaches my ears and I jump slightly before looking back at its source. Talia is now staring wide-eyed at the woman. I follow her eye line to the woman's name tag which reads Gina.

"Gina?" Talia's brows shoot up.

"Yes?" The woman turns to Talia as I try to register where I've heard that name before.

"Did you ever used to work as a receptionist?"

She smiles and tucks her notepad into her pocket. "Yes, I did. That was over fifteen years ago."

"This is nuts! Gina, I think you're the receptionist who checked us in when we were interviewing for an internship position."

"Ohh!" I call out when it hits me. "Yes! I think you were!"

"I'll never forget it because you were so nice to me. I was having such a rough day and you lent me your sweater."

Gina's eyes grow wide and the color drains from her face. "Listen, I was having a really hard time those years. I'm really sorry for what I did."

Talia tilts her head back and chuckles. "'What you did'? All I remember is you helping me through everything."

My mind reels back to that internship. Only faded images pop up. I can't remember what Gina looked like, but I remember her being nice.

Gina shakes her head and sighs. "I have a mental health disorder and it's why I was fired from that job. I'm so sorry, I have a very distinct feeling that I lied to you both."

"What?" Talia and I say at the same time.

"I think I stole something from you," she says, pointing to Talia. "And blamed it on you." Her finger moves back toward me. "And tried to get you to sleep with me."

My jaw drops. "Excuse me?"

"So sorry about that. I'm trying to apologize to people when I see them. You guys weren't the first and weren't the last either. But I understand this is weird. Let me get you another server." The woman scurries away as Talia and I sit frozen.

"Ohhhh, my God!" The tendons in Talia's neck stand out.

"Oh, thank God! Finally, we get some fucking clarity on the situation!" I chuckle in disbelief.

"I can't believe she lied to us! She was so nice!"

"And you always believed her over me." I fold my arms across my chest.

"At first, but then I just chalked it up to a freak accident after I fell in love with you."

"How did you end up getting me kicked out after they told me I got the job?"

"I threatened to sue for sexism."

I bust out laughing and Talia joins in. "That's my girl."

The End