Beneath the mistletoe

chapter 20

The part was over it was time for these second part of the project, Emily’s days were a mix of excitement and frustration. The new project at the company was going well—better than she could have hoped. Her artwork was being praised not just internally, but by clients who had started to notice the unique touch she brought to the designs. It should have been the highlight of her professional journey so far, yet something was gnawing at her.

Luca was avoiding her.

It wasn’t immediate, but over the course of a few days, Emily began to notice the small ways he distanced himself. He stopped sending casual messages or dropping by her desk to check on her work. Their conversations, once easy and warm, now felt cold and perfunctory. During meetings, he sat as far away as possible, speaking to her only when absolutely necessary.

At first, she brushed it off as him being busy. Luca was, after all, an integral part of the company and likely had many responsibilities outside of her project. But as the days turned into weeks, it became impossible to ignore.

One morning, she arrived at the office early, determined to address the situation. She caught sight of Luca in the breakroom, pouring coffee. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to him.

“Good morning,” she said cautiously.

Luca glanced at her, nodded, and mumbled, “Morning,” before turning his attention back to his coffee.

Emily hesitated, unsure how to proceed. “Is everything okay? You’ve been… distant lately.”

He froze for a moment, then shrugged. “Everything’s fine. Just busy.”

Before she could press further, he picked up his coffee and walked away, leaving her standing there with her unanswered questions.

Frustrated and hurt, Emily turned to Xander later that day. They were at her house for dinner, and she brought up the topic as they sat in her living room.

“Xander, is something going on with Luca?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual but failing to hide her concern.

Xander looked up from his plate, confused. “What do you mean?”

“He’s been avoiding me,” Emily said. “I’ve tried talking to him, but he brushes me off. It’s like he doesn’t even want to be in the same room as me.”

Xander frowned, clearly surprised. “That doesn’t sound like Luca. Are you sure you’re not imagining it?”

Emily shot him an exasperated look. “I’m not imagining things, Xander. He’s been ignoring me for weeks. Did something happen that I don’t know about?”

Xander shrugged, looking genuinely clueless. “Not that I know of. He hasn’t mentioned anything to me.”

Emily sighed, sinking back into the couch. “It doesn’t make sense. We were fine before. We were even getting closer…”

Xander raised an eyebrow, his expression suddenly curious. “Closer? How close are we talking?”

Emily hesitated, realizing she’d said too much. “Not like that,” she said quickly. “I mean, we were becoming good friends. I thought we had a connection, but now it feels like he’s avoiding me on purpose.”

Xander studied her for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t know, Em. Luca’s a good guy. Maybe he’s just dealing with something and doesn’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe,” Emily murmured, though the answer didn’t satisfy her.

Over the next few days, Emily tried to focus on her work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Luca. The project was nearly complete, and she knew that once it was over, her chances of seeing him would diminish even further.

She decided to try one more time. If Luca was upset with her, she wanted to know why.

One evening, after most of the office had cleared out, Emily stayed late, hoping to catch Luca alone. She found him in his office, reviewing documents on his computer.

Knocking lightly on the doorframe, she stepped inside. “Luca?”

He looked up, surprised to see her. “Emily. What are you still doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she said, attempting a smile.

He didn’t respond, his expression unreadable.

Emily took a deep breath, deciding to be direct. “Luca, did I do something to upset you?”

His eyes widened slightly, and he leaned back in his chair. “What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been avoiding me,” she said, her voice steady but tinged with hurt. “I don’t understand why. If I did something wrong, just tell me.”

Luca looked away, his jaw tightening. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Emily.”

“Then why are you acting like this?” she pressed.

For a moment, he didn’t answer. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken tension.

Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Because it’s easier this way,” he admitted quietly.

Emily frowned, confused. “Easier? What are you talking about?”

Luca met her gaze, his expression conflicted. “You’re incredible, Emily. You’re talented, kind, and stronger than you realize. But I don’t want to complicate your life.”

“Complicate my life?” she repeated, her heart pounding. “Luca, what are you saying?”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I just think it’s better if we keep things professional.”

Emily stared at him, her chest tightening. “You don’t get to decide that for me,” she said, her voice trembling. “If there’s something you’re not telling me, I deserve to know.”

Luca looked at her, his expression full of emotions he seemed unwilling to voice.

“Please, Luca,” Emily said softly. “Talk to me.”

He looked stood to face her, "I told you how I felt, but you acted distant with me everything is just confusing one second you like me the next you're cold and ignoring me. " He started to feel emotional looking away, " I don't want to be just your friend but that's all you can offer I thought of be fine with it but I'm not. "

" What more do you want from me? " Emily asked.

But instead of answering, he stood up and walked past her, leaving her alone in his office.

Emily left the building feeling more confused and hurt than ever. She replayed their conversation in her mind, trying to make sense of Luca’s words.

That night, as she sat in her studio, staring at a blank canvas, she felt a surge of determination. Whatever was going on with Luca, she wasn’t going to let it hold her back.

She picked up her paintbrush and began to work, pouring her emotions onto the canvas. The strokes were bold and deliberate, each one a reflection of her frustration, hurt, and longing.

By the time she finished, the first hints of dawn were breaking through her window. She stepped back, looking at the painting she had created. It was raw and powerful, a testament to her resilience.

Emily took a deep breath, wiping her hands on her apron. Whatever was going on with Luca, she would find a way to move forward. She had come too far to let anything—or anyone—hold her back now.