I clear my throat, fighting the tears that are threatening to spill from my eyes. “Thanks.”
“No matter how much we were disappointed in the choices you made, we never stopped loving you. You’re our son. We needed you to find in yourself what we always saw.” Mom taps her finger against the list I was working on. “You don’t need this, Keaton. Charlie may be a new version of herself now, but you still know the heart of her. Just go there and be yourself. Let her see the man you’ve become.”
“I love you all,” I tell them gruffly.
***
I check my watch and wince. I’m way too early, but there’s no chance I could have sat at home, nerves making my knee bounce out of control. At least here, tucked into a booth, I’ll get to see her walk in and steal a few extra moments just watching her.
I scan the menu, realizing I barely know what’s good at Blooming Brews. At Grinders, Charlie’s place, I could have recited every item by heart. At least, I used to. Last time I passed by, it looked like she’d given the place a fresh new vibe.
“Well, hey there, handsome. What can I get for you?” The barista’s flirty tone has me scooting back a bit and aiming a polite smile her way.
“Just a black coffee for me and a white chocolate mocha, please.”
The barista’s eyes dart around, making it painfully obvious she’s curious about who the second drink is for. It’s not her business, and the nosiness grates on me. I bury myself in my phone, scrolling through the shop’s social media, silently willing her not to pry further.
She places the drinks in front of me, and I look up to thank her, but the eagerness in her eyes catches me off guard. My gaze drops to my cup, and there it is—her name and phone number scrawled along the side.
With a sigh, I hand it to her. “Look. I have someone that I love deeply and don’t want your number. If you could just pour this into another cup, I’d appreciate it.”
Her face turns a bright shade of crimson as her eyes fill with embarrassment. “I am so sorry. Whoever she is, she’s super lucky to have someone like you.”
If only you knew the whole story, I think.
I smile sadly. “Nah. I’m the lucky one. I always have been.”
She hands me the new cup, and I thank her before turning around, only to freeze, my mouth falling open as a wave of awkwardness crashes over me.
Charlie stands there, watching me with a strange look. Though I’m anxious about what she saw, I don’t mention it. Instead, I play the friend role and hold out her drink with a smile.
“One white chocolate mocha, ma’am.”
Her eyes light up, and she grabs it from me. “Thank you.” She glances around the shop, and the way her eyes fill with warmth lets me know she’s appreciating the decor of the place. “Do you have a seat already?”
I shake my head. "No, I just got here and ordered for us. Hope that's okay."
“It’s perfect,” she says, smiling at me.
God. She’s so fucking beautiful.
I glance around the coffee shop. “Do you have a spot you want to sit at?”
“Nope. Anywhere in here looks pretty comfortable.”
“Lead the way then,” I tell her.
She leads us to a booth by the front window. We sit across from each other, caught in a quiet moment, just taking in how much we’ve both changed. She looks almost the same, except for the new tattoos that wind across her skin. Honestly, seeing all that color on her is ridiculously attractive. Back when we dated,she only had a few, so it’s good to see her expressing herself in a way I understand so well.
“So,” I start, rolling the coffee cup between my hands. “Tell me about yourself.”
I can’t look away as she talks, her whole face lighting up in a way I haven’t seen before. She’s more vibrant, more alive. When she describes her plans for Grinders, her passion practically glows.
I could sit here all fucking night, just watching her talk. It doesn’t matter what she says. Just hearing her voice is enough.
Charlie laughs softly. "Enough about me. I want to know about you. That night at the bar, you admitted to cheating on a woman you loved. How do you know you can be a good partner after that?"
Fuck. Straight into it.
