Page 67 of Whispers of Obsession

This is the guy who discarded me and disappeared for years, only to waltz back into my life uninvited to pick up the pieces…and repeat the same pattern all over again.

I guess I should be glad it’s only been a few months since he vanished this time, though given how surprised he is to see me, I’m guessing he wasn’t planning on coming back into my life any time soon.

Slater’s jaw tightens as he struggles for a response, caught off guard by my defiance. We stand locked in a battle of wills, the familiar push and pull of our complicated relationship playing out in the harsh glare of reality.

Before either of us can say another word, Slater’s blue eyes soften as he takes a step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that only I can hear over the din of the restaurant. “Cora, you know that’s not what I want for you. I just...I worry about you, okay? I care about you.” His admission hangs between us, heavy with unspoken truths and buried emotions.

Suddenly he cares? After disappearing and ghosting me all summer? Now he wants to start looking out for me again?

I’m not sure I can handle losing him a third time. First he disappeared, and then the masked man never returned, and suddenly, my mom is seeing a lot more of Sean again and… My whole life was flipped that night, and I feel like in the months since, I’ve been treading water, trying to survive, but barely living.

Seeing Slater today - even mad at me - is the first good thing to happen to me in ages.

I meet his gaze, seeing the sincerity in his eyes that I’ve missed so much during our time apart. Despite everything that’shappened between us, there’s still a bond there, frayed and fragile but somehow unbreakable.

“I know you do, Slater,” I reply softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “But I need to do this on my own. I need to prove to myself that I can stand on my own two feet.”

Slater hesitates for a moment, his expression torn between understanding and frustration. Finally, he lets out a resigned sigh and nods. “Fine. But promise me you’ll be careful, Cora. Promise me you’ll call me if you ever need anything.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to retort asking if he’ll even take my call if I’m in trouble because he hasn’t picked up the phone for me in the last five months. But I don’t. Because I don’t want to get fired on my first day for bringing drama to work, and because I really have missed him.

I give him a small nod, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders at his acceptance. “I promise,” I say, my voice filled with gratitude and relief.

Slater reaches out tentatively, as if unsure whether he’s crossing a line, before pulling me into a tight hug. For a moment, we stand there in the bustling restaurant, surrounded by noise and chaos but cocooned in our own little bubble of reconciliation.

It feels good. I’ve missed him…missed being touched. The disappearance of the masked man after that night left a hole in me that I’ve been unable and unwilling to fill. It’s about time I moved on, but I don’t know how.

As he pulls back, Slater gives me a small smile, the tension between us dissipating like smoke in the wind. “Take care of yourself, Cora,” he says softly before turning away and walking through the door marked for staff only.

I race after him, hissing, “What do you think you’re doing?”

He flicks a lazy grin at me over his shoulder. “I’m the bar manager. So if you’re serious about working here, we’re going to have to get used to seeing a lot more of each other.”

A shiver runs down my spine as I watch him disappear through the door, leaving me standing there, heart pounding and mind reeling.

Working together?

How am I supposed to navigate this new dynamic with Slater, especially after everything that’s happened between us?

Despite the lingering doubts and fears swirling inside me, a small spark of hope ignites deep within my chest at the thought of being near him again, of having the chance to mend what’s broken between us.

“Everything okay?” Brandon asks, startling me. I look around. Did he just watch that entire interaction?

“Uh, yeah…”

“Was that guy bothering you? He seemed a little too?—”

“Oh, no! That’s my stepbrother!” And apparently, my boss… “I just didn’t realize he’d be here…tonight,” I add, since it occurs to me that it’s probably weird that I didn’t know my stepbrother would be here on the first day of my new job.

“Oh.” Brandon frowns, and I smile, patting his shoulder.

“Thanks for checking on me though. Let me get you guys the check!”

28

CORA

After my friends left, my break, and dinner where the chef cooks me a feast in an attempt to fatten me up - his words - I get sucked into the evening shift, which is a lot more intense than lunchtime was.

---