---
Carla Rivera did not know whether to laugh or scream as she walked away from the accident scene, Geraldine trailing behind her like a chastened schoolgirl. The encounter with Perce Nolan lingered in her mind, much to her annoyance. Arrogant, good-looking billionaires weren't exactly new in her world, but something about him struck a nerve.
"Geraldine," Carla abruptly began, exasperated, "why didn't you just walk to get coffee?"
"I wasn't expecting to fall asleep on my bike!" Geraldine protested. "Besides, you should be thanking me. If I hadn't crashed, you wouldn't have met Mr. Broody-and-Handsome."
Carla shot her a glare. "The last thing I need is another rich guy with a God complex in my life. And did you see his little fan club? Who was that younger guy—his brother?"
Geraldine grinned. "Liam. He's cute, isn't he?"
"Cute? He's practically a golden retriever in human form," Carla said, shaking her head. "Too peppy."
"Unlike his older brother, then," Geraldine teased.
Carla groaned. "Let's just get home before Frances lectures us about keeping a low profile."
---
Meanwhile, Perce Nolan leaned against his sleek black SUV, arms crossed, as Liam rambled on about Geraldine.
"She's an artist," Liam said, his words tumbling out excitedly. "Did you see the paint stains on her sneakers? That's someone who's dedicated to her craft, Perce."
Perce arched an eyebrow. "You've known her for all of thirty seconds."
"Sometimes that's all it takes!" Liam argued.
"Liam, stop romanticizing strangers," said a calm, firm voice from behind them. Perce turned to see Kellan approaching, his older brother's presence as commanding as ever. Kellan's sharp, calculating gaze swept over the crowd before landing on Perce.
"Airport plans delayed again?" Kellan asked coolly.
"Not my fault. Liam decided to play knight in shining armor," Perce replied, gesturing toward his younger brother.
Liam grinned unapologetically. "I'd rather that than mope around like you two."
"Speaking of moping," came a voice from the open car door. Perce's twin sister, Pearll, stepped out, her vibrant, mismatched outfit clashing wonderfully with her carefree energy. She tossed her curly hair over her shoulder and gave Liam a playful shove.
"Leave them alone, Liam. Not everyone can be as fun and fabulous as us," she said with a wink.
Kellan let out a low sigh, his version of amusement. "This family is exhausting."
"Only because you make it exhausting," Pearll shot back.
"Enough," Perce said, his tone brooking no argument. "We have a flight to catch."
Liam opened his mouth to retort but thought better of it. Pearll, however, smirked knowingly. "You're not mad because of the delay. You're annoyed because she got under your skin."
Perce stiffened. "Who?"
"The woman from the accident. Carla Rivera," Pearll said, practically singing her name. "The way you two stared at each other? Whew, I felt the tension from here!"
"There was no tension," Perce said flatly, brushing past her.
Pearll and Liam exchanged a look, grinning. They knew better.
---
Back at the Rivera estate, Frances was waiting with her arms crossed, her polished demeanor as sharp as her tailored blazer.
"Do you two have any idea how this looks?" Frances demanded, her voice like ice. "A public scene, Carla? Really?"
Carla waved her off, collapsing onto the couch. "Relax, Frances. It's not like I caused the accident."
"No, but your face is already plastered all over social media," Frances countered, holding up her phone. "And don't even get me started on Geraldine's stunt."
Geraldine sank into a chair, looking sheepish. "Sorry?"
"Don't apologize," Carla said, throwing an arm over her sister's shoulder. "Frances needs to unclench."
Frances pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm just trying to protect our reputation."
Carla smirked. "Our reputation? Or your obsession with control?"
Before Frances could respond, Carla's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, her eyebrows shooting up.
"What is it?" Frances asked, suspicious.
"A message," Carla said slowly. "From a Perce Nolan."
Geraldine perked up. "What does it say?"
Carla read aloud: "'I hope your sister's doing well. It was an… interesting morning.'"
Geraldine and Frances stared at her expectantly.
"Well?" Geraldine said.
"Well, what?" Carla asked, feigning ignorance.
"Are you going to reply?" Frances demanded.
Carla tossed the phone onto the coffee table. "Absolutely not. I'm not giving him the satisfaction."
But even as she said it, Carla couldn't help but wonder why Perce had reached out.
---
At the Nolan family's private jet terminal, Pearll was in full swing, teasing Perce as they waited to board.
"So, are you going to text her back?" Pearll asked, dangling her phone in front of him.
"I didn't text her," Perce said coolly.
"Oh, you didn't," she replied, grinning. "But you messaged her. Totally different."
Kellan, who had been reviewing a contract on his tablet, glanced up. "This is ridiculous. Perce doesn't have time for games."
"Lighten up, Kellan," Pearll said, rolling her eyes. "Not everyone wants to be a robot."
"I prefer the term 'efficient,'" Kellan replied dryly.
As the siblings bickered, Liam leaned closer to Perce. "Admit it—you're curious about her."
Perce's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything. Liam grinned.
"Thought so."
---
Later that evening, as Carla prepared for the charity gala Frances had strong-armed her into attending, she found her thoughts drifting to Perce. She didn't want to admit it, but something about him intrigued her.
"Why him?" she muttered to herself, slipping into a sleek black gown.
Across town, Perce stared at his phone, debating whether to message Carla again. He didn't know why she had gotten under his skin, but one thing was clear: their paths weren't done crossing yet.
---