and I’m moving to Massachusetts. I can’t be here for her. And I can’t let you break her.”
Julian stared at her. All jokes aside, when it came to Stephanie, he was serious. She was his all-in. “Clara, I’m not here to break her heart. You don’t have to worry about that, all right? I’m in no business of breaking her heart because I want to win it back. I want to win Stephanie Appleton’s heart.”
“Toi, Stéphanie, tu es mon soleil rayonnant. Bright and beautiful, ma chèrie,” Stevie’s father said, gaining her attention.
You, Stephanie, are my radiant sun. Bright and beautiful, my dear.
Stevie shifted her attention from the passenger window towards her father and her lips curved upwards at him. “Papa, I will always be your soleil rayonnant,” Stevie reminded.
A smile touched her father’s lips as he parked the car. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been his soleil rayonnant. His radiant sun. He turned in his seat and took her hand. Then he brought it to his mouth before pressing his lips on her knuckles.
“Mon soleil,” her father whispered.
My sun.
Stevie smiled and took back her hand. She looked up at her father and saw a glint of sadness consume his blue eyes. “Toujours, Papa. Toujours.”
Always, Papa. Always.
“The house will be quiet now without you and your brother. I will miss you both,” her papa said as he cut the engine.
“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
Although she’d attended a family dinner last night with her stepmother, Rose, Jarred, and his wife, Annie, her father had wanted a special breakfast with his only daughter. The French restaurant he took her to in Prahran was one they frequented. Her father claimed it was as French as it could possibly get in Melbourne, and he was right. Stevie knew her father missed France, but her mother had been the reason he’d never returned. Before she was born, her parents had relocated to Melbourne for her father’s marketing career. At first, Collette had been supportive, but she had missed the French social scene so much that she left Melbourne soon after.
“Stéphanie, are you sure you don’t need help?”
With a firm shake of her head, Stevie picked up her handbag off the car floor and kissed father’s cheek. “I’ve got the boys helping.”
“I’m proud of you, Stéphanie.”
Stevie reached for the door handle and glanced at her father, his blonde hair was a fraction darker than hers, but their eyes were almost the same shade of blue. But she knew deep down that she was like a reflection of her mother for him.
I can’t let him down.
Not like in London.
I have to get through this internship with no drama.
“Love you, Papa,” Stevie said as she stepped out of the car and closed the door behind her. Her father beeped the car horn once and then drove off, back to their family home in Toorak.
Stevie stood on the curb and allowed her eyes to take in Harringtons Apartments. She had spent many times walking through those iron gates, but this time, it’d be to her apartment. Though it was still her best friend, Clara’s, Stevie would be living there while Clara moved to America to be with her husband, Noel.
Gazing up at the sun, Stevie sighed as the hot rays hit her skin. She was thankful for the dress she wore but desperately wanted to be inside and out of the heat. Once she checked that the street was clear, Stevie had crossed the road and headed towards the small moving truck her stepbrother, Jarred, had hired. It took most of yesterday to pack all her belongings. But due to the fact that some of her bedroom furniture needed to be brought to the apartment first, they had left some boxes behind.
Stevie approached the back of the truck. Inside, she noticed someone bending down to pick up a box. She mentally noted his nice rear before she had threaded the handle of her handbag onto her arm.
Oh, how tight jeans have really done wonders for a man’s ass.
She took her eyes off his backside just as he stood up and turned around. Stevie froze, staring at the ridiculous smile on Julian’s face.
“Mornin’, Stephanie!” he greeted as he stepped off the back of the truck. He towered over her, his eyes pinning her feet to the ground.
“W-what are doing here?” she managed out.
Julian gave her a playful shrug that she unfortunately liked. “Mainly here to annoy you and go through your