“Girl, what does he look like now?”
I paused as the image came back into my head, seeing his smile first and his eyes, and I tried to take another breath. “The same but with the tiniest wrinkles and a little more mature look, and … it looks perfect on him.”
“Of course it does. They just keep getting better, and we go to complete shit.”
I could hear how sleep-deprived and puked on she felt. “Molly …” My throat felt even tighter. “What the hell do I tell Lance? I don’t even know how to address this or what to say or …” I stopped when it became too much, when I tried to picture my husband’s reaction when I told him the news.
“Do you plan on seeing Oliver while you’re there? Or spend any time with him?”
“No,” I answered immediately.
“Since you’ve already said you’re not going to work together, then I suggest you say nothing to Lance.” As she hesitated, I reached inside my jacket and placed my hand on my chest. “All it would do is start an uncomfortable and unneeded shitstorm, and every time you got on the plane to return there, Lance would stress for nothing. Your relationship doesn’t need those kinds of insecurities when things are so great between you two.”
I didn’t disagree with her at all. I just didn’t know what to think about any of it. “God, this is nuts.”
“Right?” I heard a noise in the background. “Oh fuck. Ahhh, May, nooo!”
“Give her a kiss for me. I’ll text you later. Love you, bye,” I said. I pulled the phone off my face and slid it into my pocket.
I knew I should go back inside to have lunch with my coworkers. I was running out of time before the next session, and I needed food to get me through it. I just couldn’t imagine putting a single thing in my mouth right now.
I tilted my chin up, looking toward the top of the building, seeing how massive it was in size.
But knowing Oliver was somewhere in there made it feel teeny.
Thirty-Nine
I walked out of the office at a few minutes before six and went straight to the market, the same place I’d grabbed lunch because it was only a block away and the food was good. I felt the evening chill move through my jacket, shivering as it reached my neck, and I went over to the section of soups on the hot bar. I filled a container with Spanish lentil and chorizo, grabbing a large chunk of crusty bread, and bagged them both before I walked up to the counter.
When it was my turn to check out, the cashier rang me up, and I headed for the door. Just as I was reaching for the handle, the glass swung open, and I caught eyes with the man in the doorway.
Once I saw that they were icy blue, I heard myself gasp, “Oliver …”
“Chloe.” He grinned, holding the door even wider as he stepped inside, now only a few feet away. “I see you’ve found the hidden gem of the neighborhood.” He loosened the collar of his jacket. “Or what I like to call dinner.”
In many ways, it was like Oliver Bennett had never left my life. I could look at him and remember many of his details—food he would order, expressions that would come across his face, how bringing up his sisters would make him extremely nostalgic. But as I looked at him now, I felt like he had experienced so much life since I last saw him, and those details felt minuscule in comparison to what I’d missed.
“It’s so weird to run into you here …” I shook my head. “But, yes, they have the best soup. Why do you get your food here? You used to be an amazing cook.”
His hand went to his hair, and he dragged it through the longer light-brown strands. “It’s not worth cooking for one.”
There was the answer to the question I’d been curious about since the moment I saw Oliver.
And now that I knew, I had no idea what to think.
But our eyes were locked, neither of us speaking, and I had to say something.
Because this silence felt wrong.
Especially when the sensation in my chest began to move, sliding to my throat and down to my stomach.
And I had to make it stop.
And …
Lance: Just got out. I’ll call you in 10.
My cell was in my hand, the screen tilted to give me a better view, the letters that made up Lance’s name almost glowing.
I slowly glanced back up at Oliver, and it was like his eyes had never left.
But mine had.
“I have to go,” I said, my voice so soft.
He shifted in the doorway, giving me enough room to get by. “Tomorrow night for dinner, you should stop by the shop that’s three doors down.” He pointed to the left, but his eyes stayed on me. “Get an order of patat with mayonnaise. The fries look a bit strange covered in mayo, but it’s really good.”
“Thank you,” I breathed.
He nodded. “Have a good evening, Chloe.”
He was still holding the door for me, so while I clung to the phone in one hand and my food in the other, I moved past Oliver on my way outside. And when I passed him, the sleeve of my jacket brushed against his coat.
It wasn’t any stronger than a breath.
But I felt it.
Just that single graze of fabric … and I wished my arm had never moved in the first place because the tremors were ricocheting through my body.
I pushed forward, and when my feet hit the sidewalk, I rushed straight to my hotel. And even though I never turned around to check, I felt his eyes on me until I was out of sight.
Me: Just got back to the hotel, about to eat. Call me when you can.
Lance: Looks like you fell asleep. Sweet dreams, baby.
Me: I know we just got off the phone, but I miss you, and I wanted to tell you again.
Lance: You know I’ll never get enough of hearing that, my beautiful wife.
Me: xoxo
Lance: Jesus, Chloe, that photo of you is stunning, baby.
Me: You’re making me blush.
Lance: I wish I could kiss across that collarbone …
Me: Hold that thought. I’m video-chatting you in 2 mins, and you can say it again while you’re looking at me.
Lance: My naughty girl.
Me: Six days.
Lance: I’m glad I’m not the only one counting.
Me: What’s the first thing you’re going to do?
Lance: Put my hands on you and not take them off.
Me: Love that and you.
“Do you know what time our flight is on Friday?” my coworker asked as we were walking through the hallway of the office. We’d just finished several presentations on the first stage of our new brand launch, and we were heading for lunch. “I swear, I don’t know if I’m coming or going lately, and we’re only on month one.”
“God, can I relate.” I laughed. “Our flight is at ten tomorrow morning, and we land in Boston at noon.”
“Are you planning on stopping by the Boston office at all while you’re home?”
“Hell no.” I smiled. “There’s nothing I can’t do from my house.”
She sighed. “Such a good perk about this job.”