Always Into You

Starting my "new" begining - Chapter 6

Tanya's POV

For the first time in years, Tanya Brixton wasn’t chasing deadlines.

No early morning coffee runs for Ambessa. No frantic texts about last minute changes. No scrambling to prove she was worthy of Blaze Magazine’s impossible standards.

At first, i didn’t know what to do with myself. I spent the first week in sweatpants, staring at Joanna's ceiling, questioning everything. The second week, Joanna forced me to go outside walks in the park, movies, anything to keep me from drowning in self-pity and self sabotaging.

By the third week, I had started to remember what it felt like to just exist.

And now, a full month after being fired, i found myself in a lit bar, intoxicated by a cocktail while Joanna babbled excitedly about her latest art commission.

“…so obviously, I told them I don’t just paint flowers, but rich people eat that up, so Tanya...., are you even listening?”

I blinked, snapping out of my deeply thoughts. “Yeah. Flowers. Rich people. I got it super got it.”

Joanna rolled her eyes. “You are the worst at pretending.”

I sighed, stirring my bourbon with the tiny straw. “Sorry. My brain’s just… tired.”

Joanna mockingly. “Still thinking about Madame Ambessa?”

I didn’t answer, but the look on my face said enough.

Joanna huffed. “You’re free now, T. No more Ambessa. No more Blaze Magazine. You don’t have to be constantly proving yourself.”

I exhaled. “Yeah. But who am I without all that?”

Joanna opened her mouth to respond

And then, someone slid onto the barstool next to me.

“Jo, are you ignoring me?” a deep voice teased.

I turned and found myself looking at a man she had never seen before.

He was effortlessly cool leather jacket, confident smirk, dark curls tousled just right. His manly brown eyes flicked to me briefly before landing back on Joanna.

Joanna groaned. “Maico, I told you, I’m not ignoring you. You’re just annoying.”

Maico grinned. “That’s fair.”

I laughed a little at their conversation. “You two know each other?”

Maico turned his attention to me fully now, taking a moment to study me. “Oh, this must be Tanya.” He glanced back at Joanna. “The one you complain about but would kill for?”

Joanna scoffed. “I do not complain.”

Maico raised an eyebrow. “Something about ‘Tanya is stubborn and won’t listen to me even though I’m always right’?”

I chuckled. “That does sound like her very much.”

Joanna huffed. “I regret introducing you.”

Maico grinned but kept his eyes on me a little longer this time. “So, what’s your deal?”

I hesitated. “My deal ha?”

Maico shrugged. “You look like someone who’s trying really hard not to be thinking about something.”

I blinked. Okay. That was weirdly accurate.

Joanna smirked. “She got fired.”

Tanya groaned. “Wow. Thanks for the very straightforward statement.”

Maico raised an eyebrow. “Fired, huh? From where?”

I hesitated for only a second before answering, “Blaze Magazine.”

Maico let out a low whistle. “Damn. Fancy.”

I took a sip of my drink. “Not fancy enough, apparently.”

Something about the way i said it made Maico curious about me again, his usual teasing expression fading just a little.

“Sounds like their loss,” he said simply.

I gave a half-smile. “You don’t even know me.”

Maico grinned. “True. But I know what bullshit sounds like.”

Joanna smirked. “Oh, you two are gonna be fun.”

I just shook my head, but I couldn’t deny that, for the first time in a long time, i wasn’t thinking about Blaze.

Or Ambessa.

Or Christopher.

Just this moment.

And for now, that was enough.