Chapter 176
Chapter 176
Katie
I pulled Lucas's car into San Jose International Airport's arrivals area, the dashboard clock reading 6:47 PM. Emily's flight from London had landed fifteen minutes ago, which meant she was probably already through customs wondering where the hell I was.
The car still felt absurdly luxurious even after months of occasionally borrowing it. Lucas had insisted I take it tonight instead of calling a car service, claiming something about "complete autonomy." I suspected it was more about him not trusting anyone else to drive his fiancée around, but I'd learned to pick my battles.
I spotted Emily pushing a cart with a single large suitcase, her dark hair in a messy bun. The moment she saw me, her face lit up. "Katie!"
She abandoned the cart and ran the last few steps, throwing her arms around me hard enough to make me stumble. I hugged her back just as fiercely, feeling something tight in my chest finally loosen.
"Oh my God," Emily said, pulling back to look at me. "You look so different. Good different. Like you've finally stopped running."
"Maybe I have." I grabbed her cart. "Come on, let's get out of here. We've got a lot to catch up on."
We loaded her suitcase into the trunk, and Emily let out a low whistle. "Jesus, Katie. I knew Lucas had money, but this is ridiculous."
"Tell me about it." I slid into the driver's seat. "You get used to it eventually. Sort of."
"Do you, though?" Emily's voice was carefully neutral, but I heard the underlying question—the same one she'd been asking since I'd first told her about Lucas. Are you okay? Is he treating you right?
"Yeah," I said, pulling out of the parking spot. "I really do. It's not about the money anyway. It's about having someone who sees all the broken parts and chooses to stay."
Emily squeezed my arm. "Okay. I believe you. But if that changes, you call me immediately. Deal?"
"Deal." I shot her a quick smile. "Now, where do you want to eat? I'm thinking this German place in Mountain View that does amazing pork knuckle."
"You had me at pork," Emily said, and just like that, the tension broke.
---
The restaurant was tucked into a strip mall, all dark wood and the smell of roasted meat. We snagged a corner booth and I ordered for both of us—pork knuckle, soft pretzels, two pints of their darkest beer.
Emily raised an eyebrow. "That confident about my tastes?"
"You've been living in England for a year. Figured you'd be desperate for food with actual flavor." I took a long drink of water. "Besides, we need the carbs for this conversation."
"That sounds ominous."
"Not ominous. Just complicated." I fiddled with my napkin. "How much do you actually know about what I've been doing at Stanford?"
Emily leaned forward. "Only what you've told me. You're coaching at that underground gym, taking business classes. Why?"
"Because the gym isn't just a job. It's research." I paused as our beers arrived. "I'm studying the people who come through there—figuring out what makes them willing to drop hundreds of dollars a week to learn how to throw a punch."
"Market analysis," Emily said slowly. "You're treating it like a business case study."
"Exactly. Most of them are grad students—business school, law school. They come from money, they're used to getting what they want, and they're desperate to feel dangerous for an hour or two. I teach them to fight, sure, but what I'm really learning is how to sell them on the idea that they need what I'm offering."
Emily stared at me, then shook her head with a laugh. "You know what's terrifying? You don't sound like you're twenty. You sound like someone who's been running businesses for decades."
"That's what happens when you spend your childhood learning to survive instead of being a kid." I kept my tone light. "Anyway, when I'm ready to start my own business, I'll know exactly how to target my demographic."
"Rich people with too much money and not enough sense?"
"Pretty much. Surprisingly lucrative market."
Our food arrived and we ate in comfortable silence for a while. But I could feel Emily building up to something.
"So," she finally said. "I have to admit, I'm impressed."
I looked up from my pretzel. "About what?"
"Lucas actually didn't come." Emily's eyes were sharp, assessing. "When you told me on that video call that he'd changed, that he was working on his control issues, I wanted to believe you. But honestly? I thought the second I landed, he'd be here. Hovering in the background, making sure I wasn't a bad influence or whatever."
"He asked if he could join us for part of the trip," I said carefully. "I told him I needed a few days with just you first. And he listened."
"Katie." Emily set down her beer. "Two years ago, that man tracked your location 24/7. Now he's letting you drive his car to pick up your best friend and take off for Christmas break without him? That's not just change. That's a complete personality transplant."
I felt a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. "It's not that dramatic. He's just... learning to trust that I'll come back."
"No, it is that dramatic. Do you have any idea how rare that is? How many controlling men actually do the work instead of just promising to change?" Emily leaned forward. "I've been thinking about this since our video call. About what you said—that he went to therapy, that he's trying. And I wanted to see it for myself before I decided whether to be happy for you or start planning an intervention."
"And your verdict?"
"The fact that he's not here right now? That's pretty damn convincing." Emily raised her glass. "So congratulations on the engagement. For real this time, not just over a pixelated video call. You're marrying someone who's actually capable of growth."
I clinked my glass against hers, feeling warmth spread through my chest. "Thanks. That means a lot, coming from you."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to grill him when he shows up. But so far, he's passing the test." Emily took a long drink. "Speaking of which, when is he joining us?"
"Three days from now. Gives us time to catch up, and gives him time to finish some business thing in Boston." I picked at my napkin. "He's flying in from there, actually. Had meetings with his family's East Coast operations."
"Look at you, so casual about your fiancé's cross-country business empire." Emily grinned. "How does that feel, by the way? Being engaged to someone who probably owns half of California?"
"Weird. Terrifying. Sometimes suffocating." I paused. "But also... safe? Like no matter what happens, I have someone in my corner who'll move mountains if I need him to."
"As long as he's not moving those mountains without asking you first."
"He's learning not to." I smiled. "Last week I told him I was stressed about finals and needed to disappear for a few days. He packed me a bag, drove me to this cabin in Tahoe, and left. Just like that. Didn't ask when I'd be back or text me every hour. He trusted me to come home when I was ready."
Emily's expression softened. "Okay, that's actually impressive. The Lucas I heard about two years ago would've installed security cameras in the cabin and called you every thirty minutes."
"Probably." I laughed despite myself. "But that's not who he is anymore. Or at least, that's not who he's trying to be. And watching him fight against every instinct to control things, to trust me instead—that's what made me say yes."
"To growth, then." Emily raised her glass again. "And to men who actually do the work instead of just talking about it."
"I'll drink to that." I clinked my glass against hers, feeling the last bit of tension drain away.
---
"So where are we actually going?" Emily asked as I drove us toward her hotel in Palo Alto. "You've been cagey about the details."
"Because I don't know them. Lucas arranged everything, told me to pack light." I grinned. "Trust me, I'm just as curious."
"Well, as long as there's a beach and drinks, I won't complain." Emily pulled out her phone. "Oh—did you know Lucas and I are following each other on Instagram? He messaged me last week asking if I'd be comfortable with him joining us for part of the trip."
I glanced over, surprised but not shocked. "What'd you tell him?"
"That as long as you were okay with it, I had no objections. Though I made it clear that if he tries any controlling bullshit, I'll personally throw him off whatever boat he arrived on." She grinned. "What? You're not the only one who's learned boundaries."
"Apparently not." I felt a surge of affection for both of them. "He's supposed to arrive three days after we get there. Give us time to catch up."
"That's actually thoughtful. And strategic—he knows if he shows up too early, I'll spend the whole time judging him." Emily laughed. "Smart man."
"He has his moments." I pulled into her hotel parking lot. "Just when I think I've got him figured out, he does something that contradicts everything I thought I knew."
Emily grabbed her bag and paused. "For what it's worth? I think you two might actually make it. You're both crazy enough to understand each other, but healthy enough now to not destroy each other in the process."
"High praise," I said dryly, but I was smiling.