Page 55 of Hearts & Embers

"Because whatever she needed, she cared enough to come looking for answers."

I remained silent. Cole clasped his hands together on the desk and leaned forward slightly.

"Talk to her."

The advice sounded almost absurdly simple.

"I don't think it's that easy."

"You're wrong."

The certainty in his response left little room for argument.

"Aurora isn't running away from you."

I looked toward the window briefly before returning my attention to him.

"How do you know?"

"Because if she wanted to walk away, she wouldn’t have taken the time to come and discuss things with me."

The statement settled heavily in my thoughts.

"She loves you."

The words struck harder than expected.

"Maybe."

His expression suggested he found the response ridiculous.

"No…Definitely."

The office fell quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"Stop sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and go talk to her. Settle things one way or the other."

The discussion ended shortly afterward, although the advice remained with me long after leaving his office. By the time the shift ended, I had replayed the conversation often enough to recognise an uncomfortable truth. Waiting wasn't accomplishing anything. Time apart had given me an opportunity to think, but it hadn't changed how I felt. If anything, the separation had clarified things considerably.

I loved Aurora.

The certainty existed now without hesitation or qualification. Nothing about the previous week had altered that. An hour later I stood outside her apartment building.

For several moments I remained beside the entrance, wondering whether appearing without warning qualified as confidence or stupidity. Eventually I decided the distinction probably didn't matter. I crossed the lobby, took the elevator upstairs, and stopped outside her door.

Then I knocked.

Several seconds passed before movement sounded from inside the apartment. The door opened a moment later and Aurora stood frozen in surprise.

I suspected my own reaction mirrored hers.

For a brief moment neither of us seemed entirely certain what to do or say. The previous week had created distance neither of us wanted, and suddenly standing face-to-face again made that reality impossible to ignore.

"Aurora."

My voice sounded rougher than intended. Her expression softened immediately.

"Hi."