Aldridge held the door open for me. When we walked inside, we were immediately slapped in the face by that distinctive coffee bean smell. The vibe of the shop was eclectic with a mixture of booths and tables. There was even counter seating like you would find in a diner.
“So what’s good here?”
I’d only been to Brewed Awakenings once before, but I knew Aldridge enough to provide a drink recommendation he would most likely enjoy. “I think you should try the cortado.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Do you still love lattes and flat whites?”
“Yes.”
“Then trust me, a cortado is right up your alley.”
Aldridge offered a slow nod while still examining the menu. At the register he took my suggestion going with the cortado and I ordered a forest matcha. We found a corner booth and waited for our names to be called.
“So where are you staying right now?” I fidgeted with my napkins and extra sugar packets.
“I’m at the W hotel on the Strip.”
“Wow, that hotel is very interesting.” Whoever was responsible for the design of the hotel really leaned into the fact that it was a Vegas property. There was nothing subtle or understated in the design choices. I’m talking gold antler chandeliers, God awful wallpaper which featured a Victorian lady whose eyes followed you around the room.
“You’re not lying. When I checked in it was very clear I was no longer in Kansas City.”
“Aldridge,” the barista called out.
He jumped up to retrieve our drinks. When he returned, he placed mine in front of me.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” He reclaimed his seat. “I will say that being on the Strip these past few weeks has erased any thoughts about buying a place on Las Vegas Boulevard.”
“For most people it seems like fun but more often than not it loses its appeal really quickly.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“It’s like being in the middle of one big party every single night. It tends to get old.”
Aldridge took a sip of his coffee and smiled. “Where do you stay at?”
My breath hitched. Up until this point I was doing my best impression of someone who was unbothered. Trying to act as if sitting across from Aldridge and casually chopping it up was completely normal. We hadn’t spoken in over five years. Nothing about this was normal. Him being in Las Vegas. Me having to pretend his scent of sandalwood, lavender, and basil wasn’t triggering my desire. The fact I had to hold myself back because all I really wanted was one of Aldridge’s strong full hugs that told me I was safe and everything was going to be okay.
Having coffee with my former college sweetheart, now world-famous basketball player, was not something I thought I’dever have to endure. But when my mother said life had a funny way of humbling you, she wasn’t lying. I thought I was fine. After all these years Aldridge rarely ever crossed my mind. I’d had plenty of exes since him. But Aldridge was the type of man who left a mark. He was the litmus test for all other men I dated. Settling for the bare minimum wasn’t a viable option. I knew what real love felt like and if a man couldn’t love me the same or better than Aldridge, I wasn’t interested.
Aldridge snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Danessa?”
“Oh I’m sorry.”
“Where’d you go?”
“What do you mean?”
“You did that thing you do when you’re here but not.”
“I’m here.” I offered a strained smile.
“I know I’m not the most interesting conversationalist, but try to stay with me.” He winked. “So what area do you live in?”
“Uhm … I live in a condo off the Strip. Man-made lake, all the amenities.”
