Page 57 of Love You Madly

I snap back to the present. “Yeah, sorry. Just a lot on my mind.”

She nods, understanding. “I get it. It’s not easy juggling everything.”

I appreciate her empathy and try to focus more on our conversation. We talk about lighter things–favorite movies, places we’d like to travel, funny stories from our respective jobs. Despite my wandering thoughts, I genuinely enjoy her company.

After an hour, the coffee shop starts to quiet down. We finish our drinks, and Karissa looks at me with a gentlesmile. “This was nice, Owen. We should do it again sometime.”

I smile back, feeling a bit conflicted. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

We walk out of the coffee shop together, the night air cool and refreshing. As we reach our vehicles, Karissa turns to me. “Thanks for tonight. I had a great time.”

“Me too,” I say sincerely. “Drive safe.”

“You too,” she replies before getting into her car.

As I drive home, my thoughts are a tangled mess. Karissa is great, but the evening has made me realize how much Callie is still on my mind. I pull into the parking lot for my apartment complex and sit in the truck for a moment, trying to sort through my feelings. When I finally head to bed, my mind is still spinning with thoughts of Callie and Karissa.

The next morning, the house is quiet without Barrett’s playful energy. It’s strange not having him here, and I already miss his laughter. I get up and make myself a cup of coffee, staring out the kitchen window as I try to process everything. Needing advice, I decide to text the guys. I open up the group chat with Will, Luke, and Vince.

Me:

Hey guys, need some advice.

The responses come almost instantly.

Will:

Oh boy, what did you do now?

Luke:

This should be good.

Vince:

Did you accidentally set the hospital on fire?

I roll my eyes, chuckling despite myself. Leave it to Vince to throw out the most off-the-wall scenario.

I lean back against the counter, staring at my phone before typing out a response.

Me:

No, no fires. Went on a date with Karissa last night.

There’s a pause. I take another sip of my coffee and brace myself for their inevitable teasing.

Will:

And you survived without her stealing your cinnamon? Impressive.

I nearly spit out my coffee.

Vince:

His what?

Luke:

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