“Could I leave my information with you, please? In case she comes back in. I’m only here for a few weeks but I’d love to see her before I leave,” Alex said, already pulling out a business card. “If you have a pen, I’ll put my personal cell phone number on the back. It would mean a lot to me.”
Taking a pen from her apron pocket and handing it to him, Alex hurriedly wrote the information and gave the card and pen to her.
She looked at it and nodded before turning on her heel and heading back to the counter.
Alex thanked her, taking his white bag of pastries with him as he left.
Blowing out a loud breath once outside, Alex scratched his beard and headed to his car. He had done what he could for now, but he would make time to visit the cafe every day just in case.
He was hopeful for the first time since he ran into Aria. Sending up a silent prayer to the heavens, he drove back home.
As he wove through traffic heading home, he thought about the beautiful girl he’d fallen for in school all those years ago. He could never fully understand how hard he had fallen for her. Who finds their soulmate as a teen? But as true as he knew his feelings were, apparently it just wasn’t meant to be. He never really had a chance with her.
One of his favorite songs began from his playlist, so he turned the volume up and let the memories run through his mind.
The memory of the girl that he never forgot.
When Alex arrived at his house, he made a call to the contractor, confirming the last payment was taken care of before settling in to watch a football match on TV.
He couldn’t help feeling restless. After a half hour of watching the game, he abandoned it and started a load of laundry, then unpacked his bags. He made several lists of what he needed around the house. Wandering around, he made a mental note of where to put one of Adrian’s paintings he had spied at the gallery that he intended to purchase.
Alex spent the afternoon unpacking some of the boxes that still lay untouched from when he left for the Asia project, setting up framed photos and childhood mementos. Before long, he realized the day had been spent.
After a hearty dinner of soup and salad that Sofia had left for him in the refrigerator when he arrived the day before, he headed for the bedroom. After another satisfying hot shower, Alex walked into his closet, digging through the clothes Sofia had hung up for him from the move.
He tucked in the crisp white dress shirt and grabbed his black blazer. Dressing up always made him feel like he was in a straitjacket, but he could endure it for a few hours, especially for a friend.
After a much-needed beard trim, Alex ran his hands through his long hair, pulling his loose waves into a tight man-bun, hoping it made him look a little less unkempt for the occasion. He was starting to embrace his new look, but for tonight, he would try for “neat and tidy”. A quick spray of his favorite sandalwood and musk cologne and he was ready to leave.
Chapter Eight
Looking through her closet,Aria pulled out her favorite wrap dress, hoping it would be appropriate for a gallery opening. Shopping hadn’t been high on her list of priorities the last few years, so it would have to do.
Knowing that Corinna would most likely give her a hard time about it, she forced out a frustrated breath through her puckered lips and threw the dress on her bed before searching for some jewelry to make it look less casual.
As she walked over to her dresser, she hesitantly placed her hand on the ornate wooden jewelry box which sat on top of it. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Aria’s eyes registered the pain in them. She knew what the box held, and her heart fluttered at the thought of seeing it again. She avoided going into it as much as possible because she knew the outcome.
Lifting the lid, her fingers reverently traced her silver, diamond-encrusted wedding ring, causing her eyes to sting with fresh tears and her breath to hitch in her throat.
Taking off her wedding ring six months ago was a difficult decision. Something she vowed never to take off had become a point of pain and it now served as a reminder of what she had lost.
Forcing herself to leave it alone, she started looking through her other jewelry in search of a necklace she hadn’t worn in a long time.
A loud knock made her jump as her eyebrows pinched together, wondering who could be at the door.
When Aria opened it to find Corinna standing there with a garment bag in her hand and an evil smile on her face, she wasn’t completely surprised.
“Well, you look stunning, but what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting at the gallery.”
Her friend was wearing a forest green asymmetrical dress that made her green eyes look like vibrant gemstones and her coppery red hair glow.
“Well, I came to make sure you didn’t change your mind. And I wanted to surprise you. I bought a dress I thought you would look amazing in because I know what your closet consists of, Aria.”
“Are you serious?”
Aria scoffed as she let her in and closed the door, heading to her bedroom. Corrina followed, her high heels clomping on the floor loudly.
“Don't tell me. You planned to wear the long flower wrap dress?”
