Sure, Zac still looked gorgeous with his dark-blond hair and those eyes that in the right light looked orange.
Ro wasn’t sure what he expected, but he realised even though it had been hard to get over him, that crippling feeling like his heart was being ripped apart from his chest wasn’t as sharp.
Zac lifted a hand towards the café, and Ro allowed himself to be guided inside. He led him towards a table that was nicely tucked away in a corner, then motioned for Rowan to take his seat at a table that already had plates on it. When they were both seated, Zac asked, “Why were you waiting outside?”
Ro looked around, still unsure of why Zac wanted them to meet there. “I was trying to decide whether or not I was going to go through with this.”
“You always were honest.” Zac’s tone had him looking up, and in his eyes, Ro saw memories he hadn’t revisited in a long time.
Ro looked away and pretended to search for a waiter. He could really do with a bottle of water, his throat suddenly dry.
Crap, he looked behind him at the counter since he was facing the street. Was he supposed to go to the counter and place his order? Then again, that would just draw this out more than necessary, so he bit the bullet and asked, “Why’d we have to meet in person? We could have had this conversation over the telephone.” He took a deep breath, then added, “That would have been easier.”
Ro looked up and found Zac looking towards the back of the café. He wasn’t sure if it was a stalling tactic or if he was, perhaps, ignoring his question.
Rowan frowned and turned around following Zac’s gaze, and just like that, he again had the image flooding back into his mind of Zac walking into the home he thought they’d share forever with another man in his arms.
That pukey, wanting to be sick, chest-tightening feeling returned. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. When Ro turned back to Zac, he knew his eyes were accusing. Just as the man joined them and took the seat beside Zac, that was when he realised there were three chairs around the table and the plate of food wasn’t for Zac.
Rowan was pretty sure the look on his face screamedwhy?
Why would Zac do this? It was one thing to be mostly over something, but to be confronted with the worst day of your life again.
No. Just no!
He got to his feet and had every plan of leaving when the man spoke.
“Please stay.” The man’s voice was soft and pleading.
Zac was on his feet too. “Ro, please. I want you to meet Jay.” Zac glanced over at Jay. “Jay is... uhhh... my mate. We want to talk to you.”
Ro felt his stomach do flip flops.
“To apologise.” Jay chimed in.
The man who had been in the arms of the person Ro thought he would spend forever with was in front of him, wanting to speak to him.
“Your mate,” Rowan repeated, “wants to meet me?” He stared at the two of them. “Why?”
“Please sit.” Zac’s eyes were pleading.
“Please,” Jay added. Ro wasn’t sure why he did it, but there was a look in Jay’s eyes that made him pause… was that guilt?
“Please,” Jay repeated.
Rowan slowly lowered himself back to his seat, then replied, “Five minutes. I’ll stay for five minutes, and that’s all.”
Jay lowered himself to his seat, and so did Zac. Ro watched them as they exchanged a nervous look with each other before focusing on him.
“I know you’re probably wondering why I’m here.” It was Jay who spoke, and now that he wasn’t trying to escape, he finally noted that the man had an American accent.
Rowan didn’t speak, mostly because it looked like they had planned a speech for him.
They looked constipated, for lack of a better description, but Rowan wasn’t sure how to make this conversation… situation less awkward.
“We wanted to talk to you…” Zac started.
“To say how sorry we are,” Jay chimed in.
