AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course.” He flashes his toothy grin and extends a hand to lead me to his truck.
I know we could just walk, but I do enjoy riding around with him. You could never just enjoy a drive around the city. Too much traffic and pedestrians.
Maybe this place isn’t so bad.
At the bakery we’re greeted with hugs from Violet and Jake. Well, Jake and Victor exchange handshakes. The inside has been decorated for tonight with fairy lights, white tablecloths, candles, and roses everywhere. Almost like Cupid threw up and left.
We’re escorted to a little table by a window. Bethany comes out from the back with a tray of tiny cakes and asks us what we’d like to try tonight. Victor picks chocolate with raspberry filling and a cheesecake with fresh fruit.
I eye the tray and opt to pick ones Victor didn’t so we can share and taste more flavors.
“I’ll have the strawberry champagne slice and carrot cake,” I tell Bethany. She leaves to get us coffees and our desserts.
“No cheesecake?” Victor raises an eyebrow at my decision. I’m about to tell him about my sharing plan but he continues, “I suppose it’s another New York does it better thing?” His tone is on the verge of bitter.
I feel like I ran a marathon and my stomach is lurching with nothing in it.
I’m confused, I thought he liked to joke about how much of a ‘New Yorker’ I am. Where is this iciness coming from?
* * *
Victor
“I just thought we’d share,” Sally looks off to the side, fidgeting with her skirt.
Shit.
I had been letting my thoughts bubble up to the surface. When I picked Sally up this evening, I had seen more boxes stacked up, just past the open door. It brought up everything I’ve been thinking about and how the futures we have envisioned for ourselves don’t overlap.
Bethany comes with our sweets and explains that Violet would like us to pick our favorite of the night and leave a note on one of the flashcards on the table. She leaves us to our desserts.
“I’m sorry if I came off a little hostile, Sally.” I reach out and squeeze her hand. “It’s no excuse but I have a lot on my mind and it’s creeping into other bits of my life.”
“Okay.” She squeezes my hand lightly before pulling away. “I can understand that.” She picks up a fork before asking if I’m okay with sharing our desserts with each other.
“Sure.”
We both put our desserts closer to the center so we can eat easily from all four plates. In between bites I ask her about unpacking.
“I don’t know how I still have boxes left. I lived in an apartment in the city and moved to a house with double the square footage. Honestly, if my ex-husband had packed any of my stuff in his, at this point I will never know.” She shrugs as she eats a bite of chocolate cake, a tiny bit of raspberry remains at the corner of her mouth.
I want to reach out, to rub my thumb across her lips and wipe it away. Or simply kiss her. Before I can do either, she licks her lips slowly. With her eyes closed she looks at peace.
I know there’s great chemistry between us.
Hell, the sex was mind blowing.
But the lack of a future together, the future I’ve always wanted, can’t happen.
I knew when I picked Sally up tonight, I’d be ending things, but I didn’t realize how big of an affect my decision would have on me. I’ll do it when I drop her off, no need to ruin Violet and Jake’s little shindig.
It’s not long until we’ve eaten all of the desserts, finished our coffees, and decide to head out. I’m a little sullen, knowing what I have to do.
I drive Sally home and when I park, we both sit for a moment. The silence lingering between us. I’m not quite sure where to start. It’s not like I practiced breaking up with her. I’ve broken up with women before. It was never difficult.
For a brief moment, I consider that maybe this isn’t the right thing to do.
But I want Sally to be happy. And if I can’t get past the infertility bit, then I’m no better than her ex-husband who just let things fester until he broke her heart. And I can’t do that to her. I really do care for her, which is why I need to end it now.
