Chapter 6 Meetings and Schedules

Aria’s POV

Present Day

As I drifted off to sleep, I hated that my last thoughts were of him. Jalen. That damn moment in the kitchen wouldn’t stop replaying in my head.

Was he really looking at me like that?

Was he interested in me back then?

The same man who sat there silently while his bitch of a girlfriend tore me down?

God, the confusion was making my skin itch. For so long, I was furious at him—for sitting there, for never saying a word, for letting her call me names like I wasn’t even human. But now? Now I'm questioning everything, and I hate it.

When I woke up, I dragged myself through my morning routine, still lost in thought. After throwing on a black jogger set and wrapping my curls into a loose bun, I padded out into the kitchen.

Maya was already there, hair wrapped up in a silk scarf, sitting on the stool like a queen in her castle.

“Hey, Tete,” she grinned. “You hungry?”

I smiled softly. “Nah, just coffee for me. I’ve got a meeting in a bit.”

She raised her juice glass. “Well, there’s a lot of cereal in there, Auntie Aria. Mama always says this household lives off cereal and milk.”

I chuckled as I poured my coffee, grateful for the normalcy in her voice, the calm of the moment. I needed this, needed something simple. I kissed her on the cheek and disappeared back into the guest room, where my laptop blinked to life.

Teams Meeting – Aria & Kim

“Good morning, Kim,” I said as I adjusted my camera and sipped my coffee.

“Morning, boss!” she replied, chipper and fresh faced like always.

“Okay, give me the rundown. What’s new?”

“Well,” Kim said, flipping through her notes, “two major clients reached out. One is from Royal Luxury Cruise Lines, and the other is from Freight & World Luxury Items.”

I nearly choked on my coffee. “Wait. Who contacted us from the cruise line?”

“A woman named Teresa Chimes,” Kim replied, squinting at her notes.

Shit.

I knew that name. And I knew the company. Royal Luxury Cruise Lines was owned by the Todd family. Jalen’s family. Which meant if this deal moved forward… I’d have to face him. Again. Professionally. Personally. Everything I’ve spent years trying to forget? Coming back to cash a check.

I swallowed the wave of dread. “Okay, schedule the cruise meeting for next Wednesday at 10 AM. My office. I won’t budge on that. Clear your schedule, and I want Alan, Reese, and Vlade present.”

“Got it.”

“And for Freight & World, we’ll go to them. Thursday, 11 AM. Just you, me, and Vlade.”

“Noted. And if they don’t feed us, I’m holding you to the snack promise.”

I forced a laugh, but my mind was spiraling. As we wrapped up the logistics and reviewed upcoming campaigns, my thoughts drifted again, back to him. Back to that second class we had, the one after he realized I lived with Talia.

Flashback –

Tuesday 10AM: Human Resources for the Modern Age

I was late. Again.

But today was different. I took my time. I wore one of Lucy’s new pieces, a baby blue hoodie dress, paired with a sleeveless denim jacket and my Converse Chucks. I even did my hair, smoothed it down into curls that framed my face, and swiped on some gloss that made my lips pop.

I felt… good. For once.

By the time I slipped into one of the last seats in the back, the professor was already mid sentence. The guy next to me turned and smiled.

“Hey. New here?” he asked.

“Nope,” I replied, pulling out my laptop and pretending to catch up on notes.

“You smell amazing,” he said under his breath, leaning a little too close. “And you’re really cute.”

I blinked, surprised. “You should pay attention,” I whispered.

“I can’t, not with you sitting here,” he grinned.

He kept talking charming, a little too confident, but cute. So I gave him my number. Mostly, so he’d shut up, and I could focus. He laughed and said, “I’ll put it to good use.”

I giggled. Maybe I needed to wear dresses more often.

As I focused back on the lecture, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned, and there he was.

Jalen.

He bent low, his cologne hitting me before his whisper did. “I’ll meet you at the library. Usual table. Project work.”

“Okay,” I whispered back, my heart doing that annoying flutter thing. But why did he have to say it now, in the middle of class?

Maybe he thought I forgot. Maybe he just wanted to talk to me. Maybe he just wanted to look at me again.

Class ended, and Michael, the guy from earlier walked me out, still cracking jokes and telling me I’d better text him later.

I laughed. “We’ll see.”

Then it was off to the library. Work-study for two hours, quick bite, then project work with Mr. No action himself. After that? Another four hour shift at the front desk, because unlike Talia, I actually had to work.

Back to Present

As I clicked off the meeting with Kim, I stared at my reflection in the black screen. This was all happening again. Him. His world. His name.

Jalen Todd.

God help me.

Because this time, I wasn’t that timid scholarship chubby girl anymore.

This time… if he stepped into my world again, I’d be ready.

Jalen’s POV

Present Day

The right side of the bed was untouched.

Good.

That’s how I liked it.

I didn’t need to see Talia this morning, not her voice, not her face, not her presence. Silence was a blessing these days. The tension between us was a slow poison, but I wasn’t swallowing it anymore. Not today.

I slid out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. My morning routine was automatic, shower, brush, face, moisturize, cologne, done. I blow dried my hair just enough to shape it, then stepped into my walk-in closet.

Color coded. Clean lines. Order.

On the left: tailored suits. On the right: casual wear.

I reached for my royal blue suit custom cut, crisp as hell. Paired it with a matching shirt and tie. On the floor, Giuseppe loafers gleamed under the soft closet lighting. I slipped them on, grabbed my briefcase and laptop, and walked out with purpose.

Downstairs, Leah was already plating my breakfast.

“Morning, sir,” she said, placing a neatly wrapped breakfast sandwich beside a thermos of coffee.

“Thanks, Leah,” I said, grabbing both.

“If anything comes up, or if she…” I trailed off, but Leah nodded with a knowing look.

“I understand, sir. I’ll call you if necessary.”

I gave her a grateful smile and walked out, sliding into the driver’s seat of my BMW X6. Engine purred. Music low. Mind sharp. Just another day at the office.

Todd Enterprises HQ – Jalen’s Office

I dropped my briefcase and laptop on the desk, loosened my tie slightly, and sat back.

Not even five minutes in, and Teresa walked in, efficient as always.

“Good morning, boss.”

“Morning,” I replied, rubbing the tension from my neck. “What’s the news?”

She flipped open her tablet. “I reached out to Bright Initiative Group. The owner is currently out of town on vacation, but her secretary, Alan, said he’d pass on the message and get back to us with a meeting time.”

I blinked. “Wait… did you say her?”

Teresa nodded. “Yep. I thought the owner’s name was Vlade Nowzki, too, but Alan said she would be in touch. Maybe they’re co-owners?”

I sat back in my chair, eyes narrowing. Seems fishy.

“Okay. Let me know when they confirm. I want that locked in.”

“Of course,” she said before stepping out.

I sat there, staring at my screen, tapping my pen against my desk.

Two days until we’re back in Madison, Wisconsin. The reunion. The inevitable.

Will she be there?

Aria.

I hadn’t said her name aloud in years, but her face haunted me in all the quiet spaces of my life. And now, all of a sudden, she might be back in orbit. Back near me.

And then I remembered the first time I saw red because of her.

Flashback

Human Resources Class

I sat in the back of the room, deliberately. I needed to catch her before or after class to apologize for what happened the day before with Lucia. That argument wasn’t supposed to happen like that, and I should’ve stepped in.

But Aria didn’t wait around for apologies.

And today, she was late.

Seats around me filled up fast. None of them were her. My chest tightened.

Maybe she’s avoiding me.

Then the door opened. I looked up, and damn.

There she was.

Hair laid. Lips glossed. That soft blue hoodie dress hugging her curves like a damn dream.

She scanned the room and sat down in the opposite corner, still in the back but far from me. My stomach sank… until I saw who she was sitting next to.

Mike.

Frat brother. Ladies' man. Chronic fuckboy.

And this dude was laying it on thick leaning into her space, making her laugh, writing something down, probably his number. I clenched my jaw.

Then I saw it.

She gave it to him. Her number.

Blood rushed to my ears. My heart was pounding, my teeth gritted. I couldn’t even hear the professor anymore. I just saw red.

I didn’t even realize I was out of my seat until I was standing behind her, towering over both of them. Shit.

What was I even doing?

I leaned down, voice low. “Library. Same table. After class.”

She looked at me, surprised, but she nodded.

I didn’t need to say more. I just needed to break up the little rom-com happening next to me.

But after class?

They walked out together.

My fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palm. I was on fire.

Later That Day......

I stormed into the room and dropped my bag. Kendall, my roommate, looked up from his game.

“Yo, bro. What’re you doing here? Thought you had back to back classes.”

I flopped onto the couch, eyes toward the ceiling.

“I just needed… a breather.”

Because, watching her smile at some other dude made me want to punch something.