Page 58 of Now That We Don't Talk

Kyle remains quiet, his expression unreadable. The silence stretches, which is unusual for us.

I take a slow breath, trying to stay calm. “You know, I didn’t question you when you got engaged after only six months,” I remind him, the tone in my voice controlled. “And believe me, I have questions. I could’ve said plenty, filled your head with doubts, made you second-guess everything. But I kept my mouth shut. I gave you my full support, because that’s what friends do.” I pause, letting my words sink in. “I expected the same from you.”

He remains quiet which hopefully means he’s pondering what I’m saying.

The weight of disappointment settles in my chest. I don’t know what I expected—maybe surprise, but certainly not this cold silence that says more than words ever could. My stomach twists, and I realize if I don’t leave now, I’ll say something I can’t take back.

I practically leap to my feet. “Forget it. Thanks, man.”

Without another word, I turn and walk away, my pulse pounding. It’s the same rush of frustration I feel on the ice after a bogus call by the refs.

By the time I reach my car, I’m furious. I grip the steering wheel tightly as I pull out of the parking lot. I knew Kyle would be surprised, but the things he said cut deep. And I wasn’t prepared.

After all this time, I thought he’d have my back.

I know I haven’t always been the best at showing up or being as present as I should have. But I never expected him to accuse me of treating Vivian like some kind of conquest.

As I hit a red light, I exhale sharply and grab my phone.My fingers skim through my contacts until they land on Vivian’s name.

I hesitate for only a second before pressing the call button.

“Hey.”

“Is everything okay? It’s early.”

“Sorry, I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, I’m already on my way to the office.”

I hesitate for half a second then blurt it out.“I need to ask you something.”

There’s a pause before she responds, her voice full of uncertainty. “Alright.”

I grip the steering wheel a little tighter as I ask my question.

“Do you believe I have an ulterior motive for asking you out?”

“What?”

Before she can say anything else, I unload everything—my entire conversation with Kyle, every word, every accusation. I don’t hold back. I want her to hear the truth straight from me, to understand that my intentions are real and honest. I need to make sure she has no doubts of her own.

When she finally speaks, her voice is quiet but steady. “Honestly? I wondered at first. Just because of…” She hesitates, like she’s carefully choosing her words. “Anyway, I don’t think that anymore.”

Relief washes over me, but it doesn’t erase the doubt lingering in the back of my mind. As much as I hate to admit it, Kyle isn’t completely off base. He’s wrong, but I get why he’s concerned.

Still, I’m not letting it ruin this.

“Do you still want to have dinner with me tonight?” I ask, holding my breath.

“Sure.”

A slow smile tugs at my lips. “Good. I’ll pick you up at six.”

After I end the call, my mind replays everything that’s happened since returning home, turning over every conversation, every decision. None of this was part of my plan. I didn’t come back here looking for complications—I came to reset, to slow down, to figure out what I really want at this point in my life. And yet, here I am, tangled in something I never saw coming.

I suppose I could have ignored what I was feeling, brushed it off as nothing. But the thought of doing that makes me sick.

The truth is my track record isn’t great. I’ve walked away from relationships for stupid reasons, turning little things into bigger issues. I’ve always been quick to cut ties the moment things get too complicated. But this is different. Vivian is different. And before I let this go any further, I need to be sure of what I’m feeling.

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