I never hated him. Well, maybe a little. Maybe for the first year after he left. But once I moved on, those feelings went, too, leaving something else in their place. Something neutral.
I always wondered what I’d feel if I ever saw him again.
Now I know—it’s neutral.
“So, I’m glad I decided to stop by,” he says, breaking the silence first. “I thought I’d find you here.”
“You know me. I love this place. I’ve been helping my mom out since my dad passed.”
“How are you both holding up?”
There’s so much I could say, so many ways I could answer, but it’s best to give the simplest reply. “We’re doing the best we can.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man.”
I can’t even tell him the truth—that my father was nothing of the sort. So, I just say, “Thanks.”
I need a subject change. I don’t want to talk about my father. “How’s your family?”
“They’re doing great.” He grins. “My parents are traveling around Europe, and my sister just started at NYU.”
“Wow. Time really flies. I can’t believe Sarah’s in college already.”
“I know. Makes me feel old.”
I chuckle. “You’re not old.”
“Maybe not, but I feel it.”
Silence creeps in again, but Mom saves me when she arrives with two tall glasses of milkshake.
“Two double chocolate chip hot fudge sundae milkshakes,” she announces with a grin. “A delicious treat for my favorite people.”
I smile up at her. “Thanks, Mom. This looks amazing. It’s the best thing I’ve had all year.”
“Agreed,” Chad says, smiling.
“That makes me super happy. Enjoy, you two. I’ll see you both later. I’m heading home now.”
“Thanks, Mrs. M. Good seeing you.”
“And you, Chad. Good night.”
Mom leaves us, and as we sip our shakes, my mind spirals. It’s strange—having Chad here again. His presence throws me off balance. What do I tell him? What do I hold back?
He sets his glass down and smiles at me. “Perfect, as always. I missed this.”
He’s giving me that look again.
“How come you never mentioned you were coming back?” I ask.
He sighs, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “I should’ve said something when I last messaged you. I guess I got nervous when I didn’t hear back. You always used to reply straightaway.”
Great. The one time I didn’t, and it turned out to matter. “Sorry. Time got away from me.”
“That’s okay. It’s not a problem.”
“It’s great you got that promotion. I have to admit, though, I thought you were set in Australia for life. You did say so.”
