Page 26 of The Night We Met

I pull my hair back into a braid. Then throw on some leggings and a thin long sleeve shirt. A couple swipes of mascara and a spritz of perfume is my unofficial Friday uniform.

“It’s only been a few days. But I’m already falling hard for the guy. He’s a perfect gentleman. Like you said. He’s sweet, attentive, and he makes me laugh. He’s just so easy to talk to. We never run out of things to say. He gives me butterflies.” I listwistfully.

“And what about Liam?”

The cold haze washes over me. “What do you mean?”

Sarah pins me with that look. “You know what I mean. Kam, he’s your best friend. He deserves to know that you’re seeing someone.”

She’s right. I know she is. We even made that deal that we would break off our arrangement when we started seeing someone.

“You’re the one that said I needed to get over whatever it was that was brewing between the two of us.”

“Yeah. I did. Again, Kam, he’s one of your best friends. And I know for a fact that after y’all’s FWB arrangement, he might be waiting for you to make the next move.” Leave it to Sarah to be my voice of reason.

I turn and look at her. “He blew me off. So I took matters into my own hands.”

Sarah gives me a pointed look. “Boys run when they’re scared. It’s just what they do.”

With an over-exaggerated and frustrated groan, I relent. “Crap. How do I break it to him?”

“Honestly and truthfully.”

I ponder over what to say and then pull out my phone to text him. Not thinking I’d get an instant response from him.

Me: Can we meet up this afternoon? At the fountain? I need to talk to you about something.

Liam: Sure. I have practice til 3. We can meet up after.

Me: Perfect. See you then.

It’s strange how everything has felt right since I met Mason. This realization that life can be crystal clear in its direction that life can take you on. In the short time I’ve been in his life and he in mine, I find myself lighter. I find myself smiling and realizing that happiness is more attainable than I thought.

From the time I woke up to when I started getting ready, the smile wouldn’t leave my face. It was the giddy anticipation and butterflies swarming through my stomach that I realized Mason is exactly who I need in this period in my life.

I make the short drive to the small breakfast spot and see him waiting by the door. My body lights up as we make eye contact. As I get out of the car and walk towards him, that lightness I felt before I’m noticing isn’t a fluke. He takes my hand in his when I’m close to him and walks us up to the restaurant.

Hand holding is an underrated physical connection. The sparks of light that ignite when mine and Mason’s hands touch, sparks the giddiness I’ve waited for. He transfers my hand to his other as he opens the door for us and places it on my lower back as we walk inside. We get a table for two and settle in for our first of many dates.

This breakfast has been amazing. No matter how many times I’ve had breakfast in South Carolina, it never fails to amaze me. The company isn’t so bad either.

The restaurant is cozy with wood tones throughout. The smell of coffee and maple syrup permeate the area. Tables with character marks and local prints and paintings on the wall. Huge Bay windows line the front of the restaurant letting the morning light shine through the space.

The place was just barely packed by the time we got there. So we got lucky with the intimate two-seater tablethat has our legs and feet caging the other. Our conversations are never forced. We laugh easily. I’ve truthfully never felt more giggly. We end up eating off each other’s plates as the food is too good to not just restrict ourselves to just our meals.

When our plates are empty, we stack them and settle back into our chairs. Watching the slow hustle and bustle as more people come into the restaurant.

“So I was thinking…” Mason starts by way of conversation.

“Oh no.”

“What?” He looks alarmed

“Nothing good ever starts with ‘So I was thinking’,” I voice with a smile and air quotes.

That gets a chuckle out of him. “You’re right. I’m sorry. But I was thinking about something. It’s a good thing.” He looks at me expectantly as he sits forward.

“Go on,” I encourage him. I have a hunch of what he’s about to tell me.

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