After a beat, Lisa said, “Are you kidding me?” She hit his arm. “If you were going through that, you could have told me. Or any of us. We werelegitimatelyworried about you.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It was shitty. But I’m doing better now. If it’s any consolation, I knew I’d see you guys here, and was going to reach out if I didn’t.”
Lisa chuckled, releasing the group’s collective breath. “It’s not. But knowing you’re doing better is. Let’s grab lunchtomorrow and catch up. You won’t believe what’s been going on since you left.” She laughed again. “And I guess I’d like to know what you’ve been up to, too.”
“That sounds great.” Alec laughed, too.
“Wonderful. But now we’re late for breakfast. I assume you still have my number because I don’t have yours.”
“I do, yeah.” Alec’s laugh turned awkward.
As the group dispersed, I stayed back as long as possible. No one would fault me for wanting a private word with him. Not after Lisa had made private plans in front of everyone.
When it was clear I was hanging back, Alec started to walk in the opposite direction.
“Hey, can we talk for a minute, man?” I said, just short of begging.
“I’m meeting my client for breakfast. Sorry, Mason.”
“Seriously? That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me after a year?”
Alec closed his eyes with a deep sigh. “Maybe we’ll chat later. If I have time. I’m booked solid until my flight home.”
“Then can I have your number? Or canwehave lunch instead of you andLisa?”
I didn’t like how desperate I sounded, but it could’ve been much worse, considering what was happening on the inside.
“I’ve got to go. We’ll catch up later,” Alec said, leaving me standing there watching him.
It was all I could think about at breakfast with the team. Not that anyone had much else to talk about. Lisa was lauded for how she handled it, and promised to give all the details from her lunch. I chimed in when needed, but otherwise stayed in my head, reliving everything about the brief interaction.
Alec was so different. Not just his appearance, but the way he spoke. His glasses, beard, and trimmed-yet-built physique looked good. His suit was modern, stylish, and tightenough to show off that new physique. But his honesty with that group of people was astonishing. And the way he left the possibility of us speaking to a “maybe if there’s time” was also so unlike the Alec I knew. Even when we were together, he’d schedule chats about our private life. In truth, I knew that just meant he didn’t plan on speaking to me at all.
Was that a bad thing? What did I even want to say to him? How sorry I was? How I was a foolish child that ruined the best thing that ever happened to me? Yes. Would I, if given the chance? No. Maybe it was best if we didn’t speak. No good could come of it.
???
I didn’t see Alec for the rest of that day. Officially, to myself, I wasn’t looking for or avoiding him. In reality, my head was on a constant swivel, searching the face of every tall, well-built man who crossed my line of sight.
Then, because, of course, I spotted him just before dinner. He was alone, looking at his phone in one of the hotel’s common spaces. I had some time to kill after leaving Deven with work to finish in the room. Alec checked his watch, and I both hoped and dreaded he would hurry away. I used to make fun of him for checking his watch while holding his phone. Some things don’t change.
I was moving before I decided to. Alec saw me and stayed put, but I caught him shoring up his footing as if bench pressing past his limit.
“Hey,” I said, refraining from asking if now was a good time.
“Hi, Mason,” he said, more of the fake Alec cheer and charm on his face and in his voice than earlier.
“Have a minute?”
The cheer and charm faded. “Not really. I’m taking a client to dinner.”
“Oh, nice. Didn’t know anyone was entertaining pitches here.”
“It’s not… I’m no longer in sales.”
He was curt and sounded clipped for delivering such a sizable piece of news. Even his face displayed mild professional annoyance. It hurt in a way I didn’t know how to react to.
“Really? That’s surprising. What are you doing here, then?”
