“Thanks for inviting me to the party. I had fun,” I told Atlas later that night.
I’d opened the diner for a few hours, and Atlas had insisted on staying with me despite my protests. We were back home now in my little apartment above the diner.
Atlas had just gotten out of the shower. He had a towel over his shoulders to catch the stray water droplets from his hair. He looked so cozy and adorable in one of his PJ sets. This one matched our current fall weather with leaves printed in orange and yellow.
No matter how many times I’d seen him show up beside me on the couch in one of hismanyPJ sets, it still made my heart beat loud in my ears. He looked so cozy andhomey, like he was as comfortable here as if he were in his own home. His home withme.
I wasn’t used to this. My wife—ex-wife—and I livedin this apartment together for over a decade, but it was never like this. Not us sitting together on the couch after a long day at work just to enjoy each other’s company. Maybe it had started out like that, back when Angelina and I had first gotten together. But definitely not in the last decade. She’d gotten sick of my presence by then, been tired ofme. Everyone always did eventually, and it would be the same for Atlas.
“I could tell everyone loved seeing you, and I’m really glad you came with me,” he replied and flashed me his brilliant smile. The one that made it feel like my monotonous days were worth something.
I tried to push down the hope his words evoked, and cleared my throat to distract myself.
“So, um, I saw you looked pretty chummy there with Clay. Does he, uh, have a thing for you?” I asked, mostly as a reminder to myself that there would always be something better for Atlas than my boring self.
Atlas had his hand in his hair, drying it with his towel. His hand paused at my question. He studied me for a second, then laughed.
“You don’t know, do you?” he asked with an amused glint in his eyes.
I froze. Surely, they hadn’t gotten together already? I knew I had to prepare myself for the eventual fact that Atlas wouldn’t be mine anymore. Not that he was evermine, but moments like this with him were mine, and soon I probably wouldn’t even have that anymore.
I just didn’t think the end would come so soon.
Atlas’ smile died off when he peered at my expression again. He let the towel fall over his shoulders. I was just caught staring, but I wasn’t really looking at him. I was seeing the empty spot that would soon replace him.
I didn’t even notice he’d scooted closer until his gentle hand was cupping my cheek. I was startled to find him sitting right in front of me, his body fully facing mine as he sat on the couch with his legs crossed over each other. Both his hands were on my face, and he was looking at me with soft eyes.
“What?” I rumbled. I tried to look away from those green eyes, but they mesmerized me. Always did, ever since I’d seen them fill with tears, if I was being completely honest.
“Just wanted to touch you.” A smile played on Atlas’ lips.
I was left speechless, as I often was when I was around the man. He had a way of taking all my jumbled thoughts and tossing them into the bin until all I could focus on was those pretty eyes of his.
“As for Clay…”
I tried to turn away at those words, because I wasn’t sure I could look at him when he told me he was going to be running off into the sunset with Clay, and why wouldn’t Atlas want to?
Clay was a nice man. He was a police officer. People in town looked up to him. He was young and handsome and fit, and I was none ofthose things.
Atlas held my face in place and forced me to look at him. I could push him off if I really wanted to escape, but I didn’t. Instead, those green eyes sparkled as they stared right into my fucking soul. He looked too excited, and that was how I knew the next words out of his mouth were going to devastate me.
“You really don’t know, do you?” he repeated, his cheeks stretched wide.
The stab in my heart hurt more than I thought it would. I steeled myself, knowing the news was going to feel like a thousand blades cutting me open.
“I guess congratulations are in order,” I managed to say, or more like croak out. I knew without a doubt that Atlas was going to tell me he and Clay were now in a relationship.
“Yes, they are,” Atlas agreed, lighting up like the fucking sun.
I’d told myself I’d be happy for him, because this wonderful man, who had graced my insignificant life with just a tiny bit of happiness, deserved fucking everything.
I guess I’m just a failure on all accounts.
“So make sure you congratulate Clay and Dan when you see them again.”
“I will”—it took a second for the words to sink in—“wait, what?”
“Clay and Dan. Make sure to congratulate them on getting together the next time you see them.”
