Page 5 of Doctor Neighbor

"That's completely normal, Cole. You witnessed something traumatic."

"It's not just that," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "Buster was there."

Star's eyebrows shoot up. "Buster? As in, hot Buster from Pantheon a million years ago? That ridiculous fuck that you've been aspiring to get ever since?"

"You have such a way with words, Star."

"Well, how could I forget that guy? He is hot as shit, and you seriously have said multiple times how good he was in bed. He's been the subject of many of my late-night inspirations, too.”

"You're disgusting."

"So, it was him?"

I nod, refilling my glass. "He came over, asking if I was okay. I just... I couldn't deal with it. Not then. Not with everything else happening."

"Oh, honey," Star murmurs, pulling me into a hug. "You really were scarred if you didn't take that opportunity."

I feel the tears I've been holding back all day finally spill over. "I've been trying so hard to keep it together, but I'm scared, Star. What if Maddie had seen it? What if we'd been standing a few feet closer?"

"But you weren't," Star says firmly, pulling back to look me in the eye. "You're both safe. That's what matters."

I wipe my eyes, taking a shaky breath. "I know. I know that logically. But I can't shake this feeling. It's like the world suddenly seems so much more dangerous."

I take another sip of wine, letting the cool night air wash over me. Star's presence is comforting, but my mind keeps drifting back to the scene, back to Buster.

"You know, I haven't seen him in four years," I say, breaking the silence and bringing it back to him. I guess I can’t let it go…As much as I want to.

Star raises an eyebrow. "Really? Four years. Not even at the cafe?"

I shake my head. "Nope. After that night at Pantheon, he just... vanished."

The memory of that night floods back. The pulsing music, the electric tension between us. We'd been dancing around each other for weeks at Brewed Awakening, his flirty comments over his morning double espresso, and my coy smiles as I handed him his change.

"God, we were so stupid," I mutter. "Both of us insisting we weren't looking for anything serious."

"But you were into him," Star prompts.

I nod, feeling a familiar ache in my chest. "Yeah, I was. I mean, have you seen him? Those eyes, that jawline..." I trail off, remembering the feel of his hands on my skin. “And his goofy sense of humor, the subtle flirts, I guess I thought we were into each other.”

"So what exactly happened that night? You’ve never gone into detail except to say he could be an Olympic fucker if it were a sport.”

I shrug, staring into my wine glass. "We hooked up. It was intense. Amazing, actually. But then…” I sigh. Nothing. He never called, never came back to the cafe. He just disappeared."

"What an asshole," Star says, her voice sharp with indignation.

"That's the thing, though. I told him I wasn't looking for anything serious. We both did. So why did it hurt so much when he took me at my word?"

I remember the weeks after, watching the door every time it opened, hoping to see his face. I was disappointed each time it wasn't him. The confusion turned to hurt, then anger.

"I guess I thought... I don't know. That we could still have our flirty banter at the cafe. I didn't know fucking him would wreck that. I missed seeing him, even if I did mean it that I wasn't looking for anything serious."

Star reaches out, squeezing my hand. "Men are assholes."

"Understatement."

"You were still off and on with Steele, too, during that time, right? If I remember correctly, y'all were on a break, and Buster was your rebound or revenge or something?"

"Yeah, it was all around that time. I probably got back with that dickhead right around then. Maybe if Buster had come around, I would have ended up with him and not gotten back together with Steele. What a shitty time in my life."

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