Page 56 of Love You Madly

In my experience, exes are exes for a reason.

Callie:

True. But people change, right? Maybe he’s different now. We were kids when we dated.

Me:

Just… be careful.

Callie:

Always.

My stomach twists, and suddenly I’m not sure if I want this coffee date with Karissa after all.

Friday comes with the promise of the weekend and feels a little less hectic. Will and I are tasked with fixing a pressure issue in the basement boiler room. The dimly lit, cavernous space always feels like a different world, filled with the constant noises of machinery and the occasional hiss of steam.

As we work, Will looks over at me, a mischievous glint in his eye. “So, big date tonight, huh?”

I shrug, trying to play it cool. “Just coffee.”

“Yeah, sure. Coffee,” he says with a smirk. “Don’t be a fool, wrap your tool.”

“Jesus Christ. I can’t take you anywhere,” I say, shaking my head. “I don’t give my cinnamon away on the first date.”

Will looks at me, his head tilted slightly. “You don’t give what?”

“My cinnamon. My spice. You know.”

“What, are you a fucking Powerpuff Girl now, man? What the fuck are you talking about?” he asks, completely baffled.

“I don’t plan on trying to get in her pants. That’s all I’m saying,” I explain.

He shakes his head and we go back to working in comfortable silence for a while, the rhythmic clanking of our tools almost soothing. The boiler room is sweltering, and the sweat trickles down my back, but the physical labor feels good, grounding.

We finish up our work just as our shift ends. I head back home to say goodbye to Barrett for the week and get ready for my date with Karissa. Back home, Barrett greets me with a big hug. His brown hair is tousled from his nap, and his dark brown eyes light up with excitement. “Daddy!”

“Hey, buddy,” I say, lifting him up. “Did you have a good day with Nana?”

He nods enthusiastically. “We played with my cars and watched cartoons!”

Mom smiles from the kitchen, where she's finishing up dinner. “He’s been a little angel.”

I put Barrett down and walk over to her, giving her a quick hug. “Thanks for helping out, Mom.”

“Of course, dear,” she says, patting my arm. “You deserve a night out and there’s a new little shop that opened in Cedar Bluff I’ve been dying to check out. I’ll take Barrett to Sabrina’s and then go take a look.”

Mom finishes dinner while I take a shower and we all eat together before she leaves with Barrett.

I arrive at the coffee shop a few minutes early, my nerves starting to build. I laugh when I see the name of the place:Cool Beans.The small, cozy shop is filled with the rich aroma of coffee and the soft murmur of conversations. I spot Karissa at a corner table, her auburn hair catching the light.

She smiles as I approach, her eyes bright, “Hey, Owen!” she says, waving me over to the table.

We order our drinks and settle into a comfortable conversation. Karissa is easy to talk to, and I find myself laughing more than I expected. She tells me about her travels as a nurse, and I share stories from the hospital maintenance adventures. As we get to know each other more, I find out that she has two little girls, both older than Barrett. She reveals that she’s been married before and her kids live with their dad full time because she travels for work.

As she talks about her experiences, I can’t help but compare her to Callie. Karissa seems nice enough – kind, funny, and attentive – but my mind keeps drifting back to Callie’s smile and I wonder what her laugh sounds like.

Karissa notices my distraction. “You okay, Owen?”

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