You never know who you’ll run into, and I refuse to let Alek or Jerica see me looking like his betrayal shattered me.
***
Thirty minutes later, I step into the restaurant, where mouthwatering aromas swirl around me, tugging me deeper inside. I weave through the maze of tables, eyes scanning for my lunch date, while servers glide past, balancing mountains of food overhead like circus performers. I can’t help but admire their effortless strength, not a single tremor betraying the weight they carry.
It fascinates me, though I’d bet good money these servers aren’t paid nearly enough to put up with the assholes they must face every single day.
Most people, I’ve decided, are allergic to kindness. Even when it’s served up all around them.
At last, I catch sight of Titan tucked away at the back. He rises with a grin, and when I reach him, his arms fold around me, wrapping me in warmth. For a fleeting moment, I remember how effortless everything once felt with him—a memory I haven’t let myself touch in ages.
But that’s not a place I want my mind wandering today. I give him a quick pat on the back and slip free, sliding into the booth across from him.
When the server arrives, I order a lemon water and grilled chicken salad, my appetite barely a whisper. Titan, on the other hand, goes all in with steak, a loaded baked potato, house salad, and whatever beer is on tap.
I lift my brow at him, and he shrugs.
“One won’t hurt anything with me eating. It’ll have burned through my system by the time we head out of here, anyway.”
An awkward silence stretches between us, so different from the easy quiet we shared at my house. I fidget, eyes darting everywhere but to him.
“What’s going on with you?” he asks, pulling my attention back to him.
“Nothing. Why?”
“You’re uncomfortable.”
I sigh, sinking into my seat and hiding behind my hands. But Titan won’t let me disappear. He gently pulls my hands away, as if reminding me I can’t escape him that easily.
“What’s this, Vinnie? Why are you hiding from me, love bug?”
“Truth?”
“Fucking, duh, babe.”
“I freaked out about coming today.”
“Why?”
Before I can answer, movement across the restaurant snags my attention. Alek is seated with David, deep in conversation. A few tables over, Jerica sits with another man, tension practically crackling between them. My gaze drifts back to Alek, replaying the words I overheard him say to her, as if they’re echoing in my head.
If they’re no longer friends, why would they be in the same place? But then it only takes me a second to remember that their office is right across the street.
I watch them, curiosity gnawing at me. What could Alek and David be discussing with such intensity? Even from here, their body language screams tension.
Did David not take the news that Alek and Jerica were no longer friends badly? Did he secretly want them together? He was always nice to me when we hung out, and I never really gota bad vibe from him, but I know people are good at hiding what they don’t want seen.
How do they even manage to work together after everything? After what I saw at the diner, there has to be tension simmering beneath the surface. No way Alek and Jerica are just fine with it all. Not after years of friendship and all the times he made me feel like I’d never measure up to her.
I’m still sorting through my feelings when Alek’s gaze suddenly locks onto mine. I stiffen, lips pressed tight, tilting my head as I meet his stare. He smiles, and my spine goes even straighter. But the smile vanishes the moment Titan’s hand covers mine on the table.
Color drains from his face, and even across the room, I see him swallow hard, his hurt radiating toward me like a slap.
I grit my teeth, refusing to let guilt in, and lift my chin in defiance. That’s when I see determination settle over his features, and he pushes himself to his feet.
He’s heading straight for us, and every instinct in me screams to bolt for the exit.
Alek halts at our table, arms crossed, glaring at Titan’s hand over mine. Part of me wants to yank my hand away, but I keep it right where it is. I refuse to let him think he’s rattled me.
