Grabbing my purse, phone, and keys, I step into the hallway and lock the door behind me, pressing the red lock button and hearing it click into place, before heading downstairs in the elevator.
All of my senses feel heightened as I stroll across the foyer, every person a potential threat to the fight-or-flight mode my body is in. I know the likelihood of anyone here coming after me is low, but it’s certainly not zero. It never is.
The fresh, crisp air outside welcomes me, and the deep breath I take reaches every inch of my lungs, expanding fully in my chest. Even the noise of the city is somehow calming. Other than the silence that usually torments me, any noise is welcome.
I habitually scan my surroundings, clocking people, vehicles, and places around me while I figure out which way to go.
It takes but a second to spot the cute sign for the coffee shop Hannah mentioned, and she wasn’t kidding; it’s, like, twenty feet away from the entrance to our apartment building.
I fall into step with the pedestrians and make the quick trek to the shop’s front door. Even from the outside, I can tell the vibes are immaculate. The door opens as I approach, and I slam to a halt as two tall guys step through the wide frame.
No way.
Oh, come on. I just got my shit fairly together, and now the universe is sending me another test.
I’m not prepared to see him or face him. This isn’t how I pictured our first encounter going when I agreed to work for his team. This isnotwhat I planned.
The last thing I expected when I decided to stop by the coffee shop was crossing the only person who could send me into an immediate relapse. Yet, somehow, I’m not surprised that fate wanted to add another challenge to my day by putting me face-to-face with the one man I was hoping to avoid in this city for as long as possible.
Jensen Donnelley.
He’s laughing at something the tall, dark-haired guy says before his eyes land directly on me, his pupils dilating instantly, making his brown eyes seem even darker.
I watch the moment his mind shifts from looking at a stranger to looking at someone he’s known for over a decade—since we were once kids, since we were the most important people in each other’s life, since I once thought we’d end up together at some point.
But that was before Cole, before Jensen became someone I didn’t recognize anymore. Childhood fantasies are just that—fantasies. Life is brutal, gory, and raw. Holding on to what-ifs and what was will only make matters worse.
“Lain?” Jensen mutters my name in disbelief, his voice deeper and rougher than I remember, thick with intense emotion.
He’s not the sweet boy he once was, who helped me plant flowers in my backyard or drove me to McDonald’s late at night for a snack before helping me sneak back into my window. He’s not the same guy who snuck into my bedroom when his parents were fighting just so that he could sleep on my floor near people he felt safe with.
That guy still exists somewhere deep inside of him, I’m sure, but I haven’t seen a glimpse of that version in a long time, not since I got really serious with Cole.
Now Jensen’s the guy who flirts with every woman he talks to, especially in interviews, like he’s trying to overcompensate somehow. He’s the brutal hockey player who targeted my boyfriend on the ice and injured him intentionally. And for what? Because he was butt hurt that I was starting a new life and he wasn’t?
We both stopped talking to one another. There’s no reason he needed to go out of his way to hurt Cole.
Anger floods me as I recall the cockiness he showed after the fact, dancing away from the hit on the ice with pride, his arms in the air as he skated toward the bench. It tookmonthsof work to get Cole back on his feet, and as much as he gets under my skin sometimes, I love him, and I will have his back through anything, as I always have with those I love.
Jensen steps toward me, and I feel the sting on my fingers before I realize what I’ve done.
Holy shit, that wasn’t how I imagined our reunion going down, but apparently, part of me certainly did.
His friend bursts out laughing, pure joy on his face for what he just witnessed. “Oh my God,Jensy, what did youdo?”
Jensen’s eyes find mine again, the chocolate swirls of his intense stare now full of anger that stabs straight through my chest.
His eyebrows pinch together, confusion and frustration fighting for control as he mentally debates his next move.
“Lainey, what thefuck?” he scoffs, rubbing his cheek, betrayal in his gaze.
I stand tall, feeling an odd wave of confidence wash over me, one I’ve always had, being around him. “That was for hurting Cole. Nice seeing you again, Jensen.”
I push past them, grabbing the door handle as I hear his friend snicker.
“Oh, fuck off, Cam,” Jensen snaps.
I disappear inside, but I know that if I were to turn around right now, I would find him watching me, just like I always did when we were younger.
