Page 28 of My Promise To Keep

‘Hey, honey,’ she said softly against my ear, and I squeezed a little tighter.

‘I didn’t think you’d come,’ I admitted and heard her inhale shakily.

‘Nowhere else I’d rather be today.’ I released her, and she thumbed over her shoulder toward the door. ‘Want to take a walk?’

Nodding, I grabbed my jacket and cell phone from behind the counter and followed her out.

As we headed down the street in the direction of the river, silence surrounded us, but it wasn’t the same silence that I’d resented for these past few years. It was a calm type of quiet — comfortable.

Zoe shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around her, and I instinctively wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She didn’t shrug me off or push me away. She moved closer, and fuck, it felt good.

‘You doing okay today?’ I asked softly, and she nodded, yes.

‘Can we find a bar or something? It is way colder than I realized when I said walk instead of drink.’

I laughed and released her to look around. Then, without overthinking it, I took her hand and led her toward a bar I knew around the corner. Inside, I found us a table and got her situated, then headed over to get us some drinks.

She looked beautiful. Her hair was a cool white-blond color, almost silver, and hanging to her jaw, it suited her so much. She was always changing up her hair, so I tried not to get too attached, but I loved this on her. It made her caramel eyes seem bigger, as they shone as bright as they always did.

Don’t fuck this up, Leo,I told myself. I couldn’t lose her from my life again.

Heading back to the table, I felt nervous. She smiled softly up at me as I sat opposite, and I waited. My big mouth got us into the mess we’ve been in, so I was keeping it closed now.

‘I’m doing okay,’ she said, and I swallowed. ‘You asked me outside. I am. I’m doing okay.’ I nodded, happy. I was doing okay, too. ‘It’s weird, you know. I thought ten years wouldfeel bigger, but it’s just another day without him. There’s no milestone counter. I think I told myself it would hurt to get to today, that it would be painful, but I’m doing okay.’

‘Good, I’m glad,’ I said and leaned forward. ‘Zoe, I …’

‘Don’t.’ She reached for my hands on the table, and I felt my heart rate pick up. ‘You were right. You and me, we needed to detach from one another, and we needed space to figure out our own stuff.’

I inhaled deeply, not sure what to say. We needed the space, but I hated every second of it.

‘What happened with um…’ She looked away, then brought her eyes back to meet mine. ‘You were seeing somebody.’

‘I lied,’ I admitted, and she nodded. She knew that.

‘We really did need space, huh?’ She shrugged, and I smiled, nodding.

‘We did, munch.’ My hand wrapped around hers. ‘Ten years.’

I blew out a breath as she inhaled deeply.

‘In some ways, it feels like yesterday and then in others…’

‘It’s a lifetime ago.’

‘Do you think he’d be mad?’ she asked, and I met her watery gaze. ‘At us, I mean, for what happened.’

‘No, Zo. I don’t think he’d be mad at all.’

I know he wouldn’t. He’d be pissed that I pushed her away, but nobody could be more pissed than me about that. I took a breath. I should tell her. I should let her know what he made me promise, but I don’t ever want her to think that’s why.

‘I’m dating,’ she blurted, and I widened my eyes a little. ‘I mean, nothing serious, nothing that’s sticking, but I have been on dates.’

I nod once. ‘Okay. Why are you telling me that, Zo?’

‘I don’t know. I just, I guess I just want you to know where I’m at.’

I nodded again, then something I hadn’t noticed grabbed my attention.

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