Myla: I know the feeling. Ryot is the same way when it comes to me. So, if you think you need to do this to find closure so you can freely move on with Breaker, then do it.
Lia: Yeah?
Myla: Yeah. If you truly want a fresh start with Breaker with nothing in the way, then you need to make sure you have a clear mind. Trust me, I know from experience.
Lia: I think you’re right. Okay. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.
Myla: Anytime!
“Where the hell are you?” Breaker says, flying through my front door.
“Back here,” I say from my bedroom.
I hear him set something down, his shoes fly off, and then he jogs into my bedroom. I turn around just in time to catch him flying at me and tackling me to my bed.
His lips find my neck, my jaw, my mouth.
“Fuck, I missed you,” he says while tugging at my shirt.
“Hold . . . hold on there,” I say.
“What do you mean hold on there? I’ve been waiting all day for this.” He lifts up to look me in the eyes.
“I know, I just, I have to go out tonight.”
He lifts up even more. “What do you mean you have to go out? I thought I was all yours when I got back.”
“Something came up, and I need to meet a friend.”
“Oh.” He lets me up. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” My phone lights up on the nightstand with a text, and I quickly grab it and stuff it in the back pocket of my jeans. That has to be Brian. “Just an impromptu thing. Not sure when I’ll be home.”
He scratches the back of his head. “Okay. Well, should I wait to have dinner with you?”
“No, that’s okay. Eat away. And don’t feel like you need to hang out here. You can go back to your place if you want.”
I move toward the entryway, a light sheen of sweat hitting my lower back. I just need to get out of here with minimal questions. But of course, he follows me.
“You seem uneasy. Are you sure everything is okay?” he asks.
I turn and place my hand on his chest and press a quick kiss to his lips, not letting him deepen it like I did earlier today. “Everything is great. I’ll text you when I’m home.”
“Okay.” I turn to move toward the door, but he stops me and pulls me into his chest. “You’d tell me if something was wrong, right? Like if I did anything?” See . . . this is exactly why I don’t want to tell him about Brian, because he would be way too insecure about it.
“You did nothing. Okay? I’ll see you later.” I give him one more kiss, and then I head out the door. I draw my phone from my pocket, grab the coordinates of where we’re meeting up, and head straight there.
Dinner seemed like too much. Coffee was a perfect idea and gave me a quick out.
I approach the small coffee shop I’ve never been to before and spot Brian in the window, with two cups of coffee on the table in front of him. I’m surprised he even knows my order. Well, I guess I’ll see if it’s right.
I push through the glass door of the quaint coffee shop and move toward him. When he spots me, a light smile passes over his lips, but it’s not the kind of smile he used to have. No longer in a suit, he’s in a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt. And his hair is messy, not styled like normal. I almost don’t recognize him as I approach.
But what really catches my eye is the large white garment bag sitting on my chair.
“Hey . . . Brian,” I say as I approach the table.
“Hey. Thanks for coming. I, uh, I brought one of your dresses. It was delivered to my mom’s house. Uh, apparently, the other two will be delivered next week. I thought you’d want to take care of it. Maybe change the delivery address . . .”
“Oh, thank you,” I say as I lift it and set it to the side. I’ll definitely be canceling the other dresses. Will I be able to get a refund? Once I take a seat, Brian hands me the coffee.
“Got you a cappuccino, thought it would be the best choice for you.”
Ah, so he doesn’t know my order. Not that a coffee order would make or break a relationship, but the little things like that drove me crazy. After over a year of being together, how could he not know?
“I . . . I don’t drink cappuccinos, Brian.”
“Oh, sorry,” he says, his shoulders deflating. “I guess I don’t really know what you would drink.”
“I think that was one of our problems,” I say.
“So we’re just going to jump right into this?” he asks.
“Might as well.” I shrug.