Dominic's pov
It had been 24 hours since he met Eliana, and Dominic still could not get her voice out of his head. Her soft giggles and playful chatter. Not the way she'd said his name— like she was trying it on to see if it fit. Not the way she sat cross-legged on the floor, completely unselfconscious, explaining that her lions were now "best friends". Not the way she smiled. Soft. Trusting. Something he hadn't earned.
He was determined to earn it
Lena's face still haunted him just as much. Guarded. Calculated. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop. She didn't believe him. Not yet. Maybe she never will.
He knew better than to try and buy his way in. Lena would see that for exactly what it was. She didn't want grand gestures. She wanted something really rare. Something he never wholeheartedly gave anyone before.
Consistency.
********
That afternoon, Dominic called a supplier he sometimes used for corporate gifting. He ordered a small shipment of illustrated children's books both classics and new titles on the market and a quality set of art supplies. No glitter. No cheap plastics. Real materials meant for creating something worth keeping.
He had them delivered directly to the bookstore's reading corner. No flowers. No note asking to see her. Just a card, tucked inside one of the books:
"For her Dreams-D"
*********
When he stepped into the store later that week, the first thing he saw was Eliana. She was crouched by the reading corner, carefully stacking the new books in size order while a box of unopened coloured pencils sat beside her. Her wild curls bounced as she worked, completely absorbed.
Lena was behind the counter, her eyes finding him the second he walked in. She did not seem happy.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly as he approached.
"I know," he replied.
She crossed her arms. "If this is your way of—"
"It's not," he cut in gently. "I'm not trying to buy you, Lena. Or her. I just… want to be useful. You built a life for her without me. I want to add to it, not take from it. Please."
Something flickered in her gaze—suspicion softening into something else, just for a heartbeat, before she masked it and it was completely gone again.
Eliana glanced up at that moment, beaming. "Dominic! Look at the new books! Did you see The Lion and the Little Girl? It's my favourite now."
He crouched down. "I didn't see that one yet. You'll have to tell me about it sometime."
She nodded eagerly, then went back to her stacking.
When Dominic stood again, Lena was watching him like she didn't know what to make of him.
"I'd like to come to her next art showcase," he said quietly. "I'm begging", he added that desperate plea.
"That's not something I can just—" she began.
"Think about it," he interrupted, keeping his tone in check. "If the answer's no, I'll respect that."
Her silence was answer enough for now.
**********
Lena's POV
By the time the store closed, a mild storm had started. Lena emerged from the back, keys in hand, moving to lock the front door. Dominic who had been waiting outside, stepped forward and grabbed an umbrella from the rack just by the entrance before she could protest.
"You'll get drenched," he said, opening it over her as she turned the key.
"I have my own," she muttered.
"Then you'll have two."
For a moment, they were standing close enough that he could see the fine raindrops caught in her hair. Close enough to remember the scent of her skin, the way she used to tense when he came too near. This time around, she didn't move away.
She looked up at him instead, searching his face for something—proof, maybe, that this wasn't just another performance.
He didn't look away. He stood firm.
When she finally stepped back, he handed her the umbrella and walked into the rain without another word.
From the doorway, Lena watched him go. She told herself she was just making sure he had finally left.
But when she whispered, "Don't fall for it again," into the empty air, she wasn't sure which of them she meant.