Once More With Feeling

Welcome to Once More With Feeling – a story about first love, unfinished goodbyes, and second chances in the most romantic city in the world.

This book is for everyone who’s ever wondered what if…?

I hope you fall for Michael and Valeria the way they once fell for each other – deeply, unexpectedly, and maybe… forever.

Chapter One - Bunny and Aimes

Michael

Michael stood at the bar, barely aware of the drink in his hand or the voice of his friend Roy beside him.

His attention was elsewhere. Locked on the dancefloor - on her.

The woman he hadn’t seen in ten years.

The last person he expected tonight.

In this city. In this place.

Now.

He blinked in disbelief and narrowed his gaze. The club’s lights were low, shifting constantly, but there was no mistaking that silhouette. That dress. That way of moving - vibrant and alive, like the world didn’t matter.

It was her.

Valeria.

She laughed, tossed her hair over her shoulder, completely unaware of the storm she was causing inside him just by existing. She was dancing with two women and a man. A friend? A boyfriend?

Jealousy hit him like a punch to the ribs.

What the hell am I thinking? Why do I feel like walking over and pulling her into my arms?

Ten years. That’s how long it had been - ten years since he last saw her, since the morning that still haunted him.

Flashback

She had been asleep beside him, her breathing soft and even, her presence a warmth he hadn’t known how to let go of.

They’d met in high school, fallen for each other fast and hard. She was his first, and he was hers. No one ever loved him the way she did, completely, openly, without hesitation.

That morning, she stirred and smiled up at him.

“Good morning,” she whispered, her lips brushing his.

“Morning, Bunny,” he murmured, trying to smile.

But she had always been good at reading him.

“What is it?” she frowned. “I know that look. Spill it.”

“I’ve been meaning to tell you something, but it’s hard.”

Her eyes darkened. She already knew.

“You’re about to tell me something I won’t want to hear, aren’t you?”

“Val…”

“You’re breaking up with me?”

“No! Of course not. I love you.”

“Then what?”

“I got accepted - Westminster. I didn’t think I’d even stand a chance, but... they said yes.”

“You’re going to London?” Her voice cracked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t think it would happen.”

She stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re leaving me here? Alone?”

“We can visit each other. Call, text...”

“Michael, don’t.” Her tone was firm now. “We both know that never works. Not really. Someone new shows up. Someone closer. And that’s how it ends.”

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“You already decided to...” She forced a smile. “And that’s okay. We’re young. We have so much ahead of us. We shouldn’t hold each other back.”

He had wanted to argue with her about it. He had wanted to beg.

But deep down, he knew she was right.

Back in the present…

He hadn’t heard from her in all these years and had respected her wishes. She wanted a clean break, and he gave it to her. No texts. No calls. No searching for closure.

But that didn’t mean he hadn’t looked.

From time to time, he’d typed her name into social media. Just to see if she was happy, to know she was out there somewhere, chasing the dreams she used to whisper to him at night.

Mostly, he found nothing. She’d kept a low profile. No tagged photos, no obvious presence.

All he’d managed to uncover was that she’d become a photographer. A successful one, apparently. She’d done it, she’d followed her dream.

Unlike him.

His career had taken off, sure. On paper, he’d done well. CEO of a major pharmaceutical company recently relocated to Paris to head the European branch. People admired him. Respected him. Some envied him.

But not one of them knew what he’d left behind.

He was still staring at Valeria when Roy’s voice broke through the noise.

“Hey man! You spacing out on me?”

Michael blinked and turned. “Something like that.”

Roy raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t know daydreaming was your thing. What’s going on?”

He followed Michael’s gaze.

“You’ve got your eyes glued to the girl in red. Damn, man. She’s stunning.”

“True. If only it were that simple,” Michael murmured.

Roy glanced at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Michael exhaled slowly. “The woman in red? She was my first love. I left her when I went to study in London.”

Roy let out a low whistle. “No kidding. How long’s it been since you saw her?”

“Almost ten years.”

“Shit. That’s… wow. No wonder you look like you’ve seen a ghost. What are you feeling right now?”

Michael hesitated. “My heart’s racing. I can’t stop staring. And I want nothing more than to go over there and pull her into my arms.”

Roy smirked. “Pretty sure that would be a bit much.”

“Yeah. I know.” Michael ran a hand through his hair. “But you asked.”

“Well, I get it. She’s not just beautiful, she’s got presence. Sexy as hell.”

Michael’s eyes returned to her. “She’s so much more than that. But yes… she’s even more beautiful than I remembered.”

Valeria twirled under the lights, and for a moment, everything else blurred. Her hair, that deep red cascade, framed her face perfectly. She’d filled out in all the right places, no longer the slender girl he used to hold, but a woman. Confident. Radiant.

A moment later, her eyes met his.

She froze mid-movement, clearly startled. Her laughter faltered. Her lips parted slightly as recognition dawned.

And then...she smiled.

A soft, knowing curve of her mouth.

She raised a hand in a gentle wave.

Michael felt his throat tighten. He swallowed hard.

Roy nudged him. “I think she just spotted you.”

“Yeah. Looks like it.”

Val leaned toward one of her friends, whispered something, then turned and started walking toward him.

“Fuck,” Michael breathed. “She’s coming over…”

His heart kicked into overdrive. He tried to stay calm, to look collected. But the closer she came, the more he realized - he was completely undone.

His pulse skyrocketed as she stood in front of him.

Even more beautiful than before. That familiar sparkle in her eyes. The same scent - he could swear it drifted between them like memory.

“Hello, Aimes,” her voice was soft and playful.

“Hi, Bunny,” her pet name escaped before he could stop it.

Leaning in, she kissed his cheek, and Michael’s heart went wild.

“It’s been a while,” she smiled.

“Yeah. Way too long.”

She grinned confidently and openly.

"I always felt like we'd meet again someday," she said. "But I never imagined it would be in Paris."

"Believe me, I'm just as surprised to see you here."

"You look good," she added. “Really good.”

"You look...stunning," he remarked, almost breathless. “How have you been?”

“Wonderful. I love Paris. There's just something magical about this city."

“Do you live here now?”

She nodded. "For about six months. You?”

“Two. I just took over the French division of a pharmaceutical company.”

"Wow," she said, her eyes widening. “So, you made it big.”

He shrugged modestly. "Something like that. What about you?"

"I'm working as a fashion and beauty photographer. I also do some design work on the side.”

His face lit up. “So, you’re doing what you always dreamed of.”

"I am," she said proudly. "It still feels surreal sometimes."

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Did you move here alone? Or is this question too personal?”

“No, it’s fine,” she assured calmly. "I ended a relationship and decided to finally chase what I wanted."

"You gave up a relationship for your job?"

That brought him an amused glance. “Sound familiar?”

He winced. "Ouch."

She chuckled softly. "Don't feel bad, Aimes. That was a lifetime ago. I just wanted to tease you a little.”

"Well, you succeeded."

"I should get back to my friends." She gazed toward the dance floor, then back at him. "But hey...maybe we could grab coffee sometime? Catch up properly?”

"I'd love that, can I have your number?"

"Give me your phone."

He handed it over, and she typed it in.

"There...just call or text me when you feel like talking. I’m pretty flexible with work.”

She winked, turned, and disappeared back into the crowd.

Valeria

By the time Valeria returned to their lounge area, her friends had already made themselves comfortable again, cocktails in hand, curiosity in their eyes.

Blanche was the first to pounce.

“Okay, spill it...who was that hot guy?”

Valeria let out a breath, trying to keep her cool. “My ex.”

Valentine’s eyes widened.

“Wait...the ex? The one you ran away from because he tried to control your life?”

Valeria shook her head. “No. This one was… my first real boyfriend. From about ten years ago.”

Blanche leaned forward, her long, dark dreadlocks falling over one shoulder. Her smile was pure mischief. “Your first love? Oh la la…”

“Actually, my only real love,” Valeria admitted. “But that was a long time ago.”

Didier, perfectly styled as always and radiating charm, chimed in with a soft sigh.

“I must say, chérie, he looked formidable.”

Blanche gave him a playful nudge. “Too bad he didn’t look like he’s into men, Chouchou.”

“I noticed,” Didier winked. “But a man’s allowed to dream, isn’t he?”

Valentine grinned. “He definitely looked like he’s still very much into our belle Valerie.”

Valeria rolled her eyes. “He was just surprised to see me again, that’s all.”

“You mean he was surprised to realize he still finds you sexy and irresistible?” Valentine teased.

“You and your wild theories, Tine.”

Blanche crossed her arms, raising a brow. “Come on, Chérie. You must have noticed how he looked at you.”

“He looked at me like someone who hasn’t seen me in ten years,” Valeria said honestly.

“Or like someone who hasn’t seen you in ten years… and thought about you every single day,” Blanche corrected, her tone softer now.

“You’re reading a lot into a couple of glances, Blanche.” Valeria gave a small laugh.

“And you’re reading far too little,” Blanche replied. “What happened between you two, back then?”

Valeria hesitated. “He went to London. I didn’t want to try a long-distance relationship.”

Blanche seemed thoughtful. “So… you never really ended things, did you?”

“What do you mean?" Valeria blinked. "We haven’t seen each other since. I’d say that counts as an ending.”

“But was it the end of your love?” Blanche asked quietly.

“We were in love,” Valeria said. “But we chose to go separate ways. We didn’t want to stand in the way of each other’s dreams.”

Didier nodded. “Letting someone go so they can follow their path, that’s love too, you know. Especially when your goals don’t align.”

“That’s how I saw it at the time,” Val's voice dropped. “I never told him I secretly wished he’d stayed.”

Valentine tilted her head. “And maybe he never told you that he wished he hadn’t gone.”

Valeria tried to laugh it off. “That doesn’t matter anymore. We’ve both built new lives. We just happened to run into each other.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Valentine stated.

“Are you about to tell me fate brought us back together?”

“I believe in that,” Valentine shrugged. “And maybe you should as well.”

Valeria's eyes found Mike again, and a small smile tugged at her lips.“I’ll think about it…”