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It’s been three years, you’ve had other boyfriends since, too.
Yeah, but none as wonderful as Jordan. None that she’d told that she loved, or could see herself having a future and a family with. Sure, she and Dave went to Hawaii for two weeks last spring where they dove with sharks, went parasailing, hang gliding, rock climbing, and sky diving—she’d lived and then some since Jordan left—but then Dave started sleeping with his massage therapist and things between them ended badly.
No relationship Rayma had ever been in had ended as amicably as the one between her and Jordan, and yet no breakup had ever broken her heart more, either. No man had ever claimed her heart the way Jordan had.
“It’s nice to meet you, Rayma,” Laura said, completely oblivious to what was passing between Jordan and Rayma. He was apologizing with his eyes, she could tell. She could read the man like a book, just like he could read her. And right now, he knew she was hurt.
She finished her drink faster than she would have liked and set the empty glass down on the bar. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Laura, and seeing you again, Jordan. Welcome back to the city. It already feels safer with you here.”
Laura chuckled. “She’s funny.” Her grip tightened on Jordan’s bicep that bulged beneath his black long-sleeve waffle-knit T-shirt. “Nice to meet you, too, Raina.”
Jordan cleared his throat. “Rayma,” he corrected.
Laura’s cheeks went slightly pink. “Sorry. Rayma. It’s so loud in here.”
She wasn’t wrong about that. And as if on cue, it got even louder and the cover band that had been getting ready on stage started playing, and suddenly everyone had to scream like they were being mildly tortured to even be heard by the person next to them.
Rayma nodded, excused herself, and hastily took off into the crowd. But she could feel the burning intensity of Jordan’s eyes on her. She didn’t need to turn around to know that he was watching her. Only, she’d never had the greatest willpower, and eventually, she broke down and turned around. The spasms of longing all throughout her body, particularly in her heart were agonizing when her gaze found his. And when he mouthed, “I’m sorry,” it was all she could do not to break down right there and cry.
***
“There you are,” Peyton said, flipping her red hair over her shoulder and sidling up next to Rayma in the bathroom line.
“Uh, there is a line,” a woman behind Rayma said with frustration.
“I know,” Peyton said, flashing her a big smile. “I don’t need to pee, I’m just keeping my friend company until she does.”
Peyton turned back to Rayma and discreetly rolled her gray eyes. “Where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere.”
Rayma shook her head. “I … I got caught up talking to some incel douche, and then …”
Peyton’s expression turned serious. “What happened?” She gripped Rayma’s arm. “Did he try something?” She started looking around the crowded bar as if Ian would be easy to spot since all douchebag incels had massive red flags sticking out of the top of their head.
“No, no, not him. He didn’t do anything but waste my damn time. But … Jordan is here.”
Even though Rayma and Peyton had only recently become friends in the last year, Peyton knew all about Rayma’s heartbreak over Jordan.
Rayma’s friend’s eyes went buggy. “And what happened?”
“He’s back in town. Got transferred to Esquimalt.”
“Oh my God, that’s amazing.” They moved forward with the line and Peyton took in Rayma’s less than excited face. “It’s not amazing?”
“He’s been back for three months and has a girlfriend,” Rayma said with a sigh.
“Oh, honey …” Peyton handed Rayma her drink. “You need this more than I do.”
“Thanks.” Rayma accepted the drink, tossed it back, and set it down on the tray of a passing server.
“Do you want to leave?” Peyton asked.
“I need to pee first.”
“After?”
“Maybe. I mean, it’s still early, and the city should be big enough for the two of us to live here, right? It’s not like we parted on bad terms. It was just poor timing.” But he also ghosted her. They broke up, remained good friends, then suddenly he just stopped calling, replying to texts or acknowledging her existence in any way. That was probably what hurt the most. Her heart broke when they broke up, then broke again when he ended the friendship with no warning or reason.
“You’ve held on to the hope that if he ever moved back the timing would then be right and you could pick up where you left off, haven’t you?” Peyton asked.
