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SADIE
Kobie needed to grab some centerpieces from the florist for the event tonight, but everything else was done. It was only a couple of blocks to the diner, so I told her I’d walk from where she parked. It was sunny and in the mid-fifties. If the forecast was accurate, the nice spring weather was going to hold out for when the festival started on Friday.
As I walked up Third Street, I contemplated how quickly things had shifted in the last two days. Being out in public with Drew this morning had been a surreal experience. Before the meeting, I worried he’d be uncomfortable or standoffish.
I hadn’t anticipated him acting like he totally belonged there and then sneaking out for a quickie. My head filled with all kinds of ideas about what a life with him here in Kelly Bay might be like, but that was silly. I had no idea if he even had any interest in seeing me beyond the few weeks I’d told him I’d be here. We hadn’t talked about extending things beyond vacation fling status, but that didn’t stop me considering throwing caution to the wind and tanking my job at the prospect of making something with him work.
Despite my newfound hope, I couldn’t shake the inkling the other shoe was about to drop. I wanted to believe he wasn’t about to twist the knob and shift from hot to cold again, but only time would tell.
I rounded the corner at Oak Street, and the diner came into view. My breath caught as I spied him through a large window near the front of the restaurant. After being away from him for a short period, it was easy to convince myself I’d imagined how impossibly handsome he was, as if my memory had inflated the idea of him.
But no, he was all too real. The strong jaw he’d shaven clean this morning before we left his place. The inky black hair I never got tired of running my fingers through. The piercing blue eyes capable of seeing all the way down to my soul. It was all on full display in the window of Maisie’s.
His expression was what stopped me in my tracks though. An undeniable mix of longing and anguish played out on his face. It struck me so hard in the chest it took a second for me to register who it was aimed at. My heart sank as I watched Gwen slide into the seat across from him. Watched them talk. Watched her reach over and hold his hand, wipe away tears, and hug him before she left.
It wasn’t like they were getting back together. She was married with two kids. She’d moved on. But had he? Was he still in love with her?
An elephant stood on my chest. I ducked into the alley across the street and tried to control my breathing. After a few minutes of swallowing gulps of air, my chest loosened up and my heart rate came back down.
I was being irrational. They had big, important history together. Of course they would end up talking the first time they ran into each other. There was nothing for me to feel jealous or threatened over.
Steadying myself, I peeked my head past the brick wall to make sure no one saw me. With the way people gossiped in this town, I didn’t need any wild speculation about why I was slinking around in an alley.
I made my way over to the diner, my steps brisk. No sense in delaying because I had nothing to be worried about. I pushed through the front door and headed straight for Drew.
A strange shift occurred when I walked in, like the tone of the background chatter got quieter. Several of the customers shot curious glances at me, then looked away, whispering to their companions.
I shouldn’t have been surprised the whole town would be all worked up about him finally coming out of hiding, but the vibe still set my teeth on edge. Everyone held their breath, waiting for something bad to happen. I hated that this was what the town expected of him.
Or was this about me?
Was the weird vibe because everyone had just seen Drew and his old flame share a heartfelt moment, and now the outsider was here to break things up?
Stop being so dramatic.
I straightened my spine and painted on a smile I hoped didn’t look psychotic as I sat down across from him. “Hey.”
He startled and looked up from the plate of eggs he’d almost finished. No longing looks for me as I’d made my way toward him. Hell, it didn’t even look like he’d been expecting anyone to join him. Anyone else anyway. He was obviously still lost deep in thought about Gwen.
“Breakfast for lunch, huh?” I pulled one of the menus out from behind the tabletop jukebox, pretending to scan it. My gaze darted around as the words swam in front of me. When he wasn’t looking, I stole glances up at him, hating that he looked so shell-shocked.
He stared down at the plate in front of him for a minute, like he didn’t even know how it got there, then shoved it to the side. “I should’ve waited until you got here. Fuck. I’m sorry, I was talking to—”
“Don’t worry about it.” I waved my hand as I cut him off. I was going to vomit all over the table if I had to listen to him say her name with even an ounce of the yearning that was on his face a few minutes ago. “I can get mine to go if you want to get out of here.”
He kept looking over my shoulder. I resisted the urge to peek around to see where he looked. I already knew, and I didn’t need to draw even more attention to our awkward situation.
“That might be a good idea.” He looked dejected as his full attention finally landed on me. “My social skills are still a little rusty. You’ll have to give me time to work on that.” His eyes pleaded with me before casting another guilty look at his empty plate.
We barely have any time left.
I pushed that thought aside, and reminded myself this was a big day for him. He’d seemed so casual about everything this morning, but maybe the reality of what he’d signed himself up for sank in once he was here in the diner full of people talking and staring. Then add the fact that he just had an emotional moment with his ex and potentially saw his sister too.
Shit, I forgot all about his sister.
“Don’t sweat it,” I said. I didn’t want to make this experience any harder for him than it already was. “Did you and Val get a chance to talk?”
“Yeah. Just for a few minutes, but it was good. We’re probably going to get together sometime in the next couple of weeks for dinner.”
