“Add a short stack to that order,” he said casually, nodding toward me. “She’s gonna regret it if she doesn’t.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he was already settling back like it was no big deal. Like this was normal for us.
“You didn’t have to—”
“I know,” he said. “Did it anyway.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek until it hurt.
“You okay?” he asked.
No. Yes. Kind of. Not really. I didn’t know. I nodded anyway. “Yeah. I’m fine. My brain is flipping channels too fast, and I lost the remote.”
His eyes softened. “I get it, Sunshine.”
That word.Sunshine.The noise in my brain slowed down for a second. Just a second. But still.
“Nick,” I said softly. “Why’d you disappear?”
“Because I didn’t want to screw it up,” he said faster than I thought he would. “And I didn’t think I had the right to want you again. We both agreed on no strings.”
I exhaled, slow and quiet. “I don’t think you’d screw it up.”
He reached across the table, his fingers brushing mine. “I’m not good at this,” he sighed. “But I think about you every day.”
“I think about you too.” I whispered. But before I could say more, the waitress brought us our food.
* * *
We walked back to the shop, but I wasn’t ready to get in my car and not see him again. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye,again.
“I have to feed Bear,” he mumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Oh.”
“He misses you,” he all but rushed out, like he wasn’t sure if he should say it or not.
“He does?” I laughed. I only met the dog once, and something told me that was a lie.
“I mean… You could come with me,” he added, eyes locked on the pavement. “If you’re not in a rush. He’s probably being dramatic and chewing up my couch.”
I hesitated. This was the part where I was supposed to say goodbye. Walk to my car. Pretend like my stomach wasn’t twisted up in knots because I didn’t know when I’d see himagain, orifI’d see him again. But I was so sick of pretending. “Sure,” I said softly. “I’ve got time.”
He looked up. Not quite smiling, but something close. “Cool,” he said, like it was no big deal. Then he was walking me to my car, not giving me time to think, let alone change my mind. He shot a glance over his shoulder before swinging a leg over the bike and taking off.
* * *
As soon as we stepped inside, a thundering bark echoed down the hall, and Bear came barreling around the corner. Seventy pounds of fur and joy nearly knocked me off balance.
“Bear, easy,” Nick laughed, catching the dog’s collar.
But Bear wasn’t interested in anyone but me. He jumped and wagged and whined like we hadn’t just met that one night. I crouched to the floor, letting him lick my cheek while his whole body vibrated.
“Well,someonemissed me,” I said.
“Told you,” Nick muttered.
I looked up at him. His mouth curved, but there was something off in his eyes. That shadow again.
