“H-how di?—”
“You always go to this coffee shop when you are anxious. You told me that when I was there the last time,” he reminds me. “Now, do as I say while I go talk to someone.”
He hangs up and not even a minute later my phone pings, letting me know he transferred enough money for two drinks.
“Of course he would,” I mumble. “He probably knew I would devour the first one and regret that I didn’t savor it.”
I leave my bag at the table and walk up to the register, telling the cashier my order before scanning my phone and walking back to my table. Who is Aiden talking to? What sort of plan is he coming up with?
I take a shaky breath in and slowly let it out, trying to calm myself down. Aiden knows I don’t like it when he does things like this. I want to be in the know.
“Here are your two cups of coffee. Let me know if you need anything else,” the server gently says as she places them down. “And I mean anything. We can slip you out the back.”
My eyebrows bunch together. “B-back?”
She nods and looks around before leaning in to whisper. “If you are hiding from someone, we can sneak you out the back. Just let me know and we will take care of everything.”
With an awkward chuckle, I rub the back of my neck. “It’s nothing like that.”
She searches my face. “I know it can be hard to leave an abusive relationship, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. You obviously don’t know me, but I’ve been where you are and I don’t want you to think you are alone.”
“I promise I’m fine.” I raise my hands in the air. “I’m just waiting for my friend to call me back. He’s buying me plane tickets.”
Another lie.
How many am I going to tell this month? I push the thought to the back of my mind.
“I’m telling the truth. I just got fired, and he wants me to come visit him,” I say honestly.
“O-okay,” she says hesitantly. “If you change your mind, just let me know and I’ll help you.”
I watch as she leaves, my mind whirling with so many thoughts. Do I give off the vibes of someone who is in an abusive relationship? Does everyone in the coffee shop think that?
Picking up my cup, I take a huge gulp and lean back in my chair.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I whisper.
Everything has to be okay. I look out the window to see the dark, gloomy clouds rolling in. Shit. I forgot my umbrella.
Groaning, I lean my head back and take a deep breath. Nothing is going my way. Of course it wouldn’t. Never in my life have things been easy.
In no time I finish my first cup of coffee and start bouncing my leg, trying to calm the nerves running rampant inside of me. But nothing seems to work, no amount of deep breaths, shaking my leg, or slowly drinking my second cup of coffee.
I can still feel the anxiety rolling through me like a freight train, ready to go off rails and crash into a million pieces.
I shouldn’t go to the lodge, not if I’m going to see Aiden. He’s going to take one look at me and realize that something is wrong.
“Mila?” a deep voice calls out my name, pulling me out of my thoughts.
Flinching, I look up to see a blond-haired, blue-eyed male staring right at me. From the way his clothes tightly hug every part of his body, I can tell he works out.
“H-how do you know my name?” I ask as my eyes dart around the coffee shop.
“Fro—”
My phone rings and I look down, seeing Aiden’s name pop up. I quickly answer it, my gaze finding the man standing in front of me once again. Anxiety rolls through me as he continues to just stand there.
“A-Aiden,” I whimper.
