Page 32 of Reclaiming Love

Chapter 18

The bitter chill of the miserable and wet foggy morning trailed behind her as Melissa pushed open the glass door to the coffee shop. The warmth kissed her face and the bitter aroma of coffee welcomed her in.

Returning to work was hard enough, but facing the fog of San Francisco added another layer of harshness to the already gloomy prospect. Especially when it meant leaving the peaceful contentment of home and her parents.

She’d considered calling in sick, so that she could have a few extra days off. But in the end, her conscience intervened and she dragged herself back to work when so many were still enjoying the break probably still snuggled up in bed with loved ones for a few more lazy days.

Heather was already back, and with things between them now normal again, the return to the city was bearable.

She joined the end of the line, loosening the scarf around her neck and pushing her hair over her shoulders, her thoughts scattered, as she got ready to order the usual.

“Hey,” said Noah, in his affable voice, instantly brightening her day.

“Good morning.” A smile formed on her lips as she greeted him. He’d been in her thoughts most moments, sometimes foremost and vibrant, and other times dimmer and in the background. But always there.

Her grin widened even more when she saw him casually observing the selection of cakes and pastries being offered.

“I haven’t been waiting here for you all morning. I promise,” he said, turning to face her, his eyes examining her as though he’d seen her for the first time. Her gaze dropped to the takeout coffee cup in his hand and her hopes, just like her heart, plummeted to the floor.

He was leaving.

“Of course you haven’t.” She stared at his fingers as he ran them through his hair, sweeping it back at the sides in the style he often wore it. She couldn’t have asked for anything more than to see him on her first day back

“It needs a cut, I know,” he said, becoming aware of her stare.

“Don’t—it looks nice long.”

“Then I’ll leave it a while.”

“Sorry.” Someone pushed past them and they both instinctively moved to the side, out of the direct path from the door to the coffee station.

This period between Christmas and New Year meant it was still quiet on the streets, even downtown San Francisco was laid back. She’d come a little early today. Not too early. Not gym early. She hadn’t been to the gym for a long time. And maybe she wouldn’t go back there again.

They smiled at one another. But this time his gaze was more searching, a little more intense than usual and it made her wonder. Had he been thinking of her as much as she’d thought of him during their time apart?

Or was it just her? Did he sense this feeling, like a low thrum of electricity between them? Invisible, but there.

Definitely there.

In the bloated silence Melissa felt eerily restless. She wanted to talk to him, had imagined this moment during her days away. And yet she also felt a little uncomfortable standing in that gap of possibility, suddenly afraid to cross that line. She moved to a safer topic. “Did you have a good Christmas?" But she wasn’t prepared for the way his face darkened at such a simple question. Reading people's moods was a skill she’d acquired from an early age, and being with Matt had enabled her to hone in on it. She’d know instantly his moods, his lows and highs, and be able to adapt herself to them.

So it was now with Noah. Something had happened during Christmas and he didn’t seem keen to talk about it. Maybe it would be better if she didn’t ask him about his move either.

But before she had the chance to fix it, he beat her to it. “Did you?”

She smiled thinking back to her time with her family. Christmas had been amazing but she tempered her exuberance. “I did. I spent time with my family and friends from back home. It was great."

"That’s good.”

She tried to think of questions she could ask, safe ones. And there was the obvious one: whether he was single, or not.

“I moved a couple of days before the break," he volunteered, omitting reference to Christmas altogether.

“Great. I was wondering how that went.” She gave him space to disclose more.

“It was time to move on.” That was all he said about it. They stood politely, like faltering neighbors—unsure and afraid yet interested all the same—each waiting for the other to say something, to say anything.

“Are you getting something?” she asked, indicating pastries behind the plastic covered counter.

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