Page 71 of Atlas Uncharted

His words lingered in my mind long after he left.

Chapter 52

Kairi

Ebony and Lu were already waiting for me at the bar when I walked in. Our usual spot was the same as always—dim lights, sticky tables, and a pitcher of sangria sweating in the middle of it all. The noise of the crowd wrapped around me, loud but oddly comforting.

Ebony saw me first. She threw her hands up like I’d been lost at sea and finally returned. “About time! Look who decided to show up!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Stop it.”

“And late,” Lu added, her tone dry but her smile soft. She grabbed the pitcher and poured a fresh glass for me.

Sliding into the booth, I sighed and took the glass from her. “I missed you two,” I admitted, even though we’d just seen each other in Miami not that long ago. I took a sip, the sweetness of the sangria pulling some of the tension from my shoulders.

“We know,” Ebony said with a smirk.

The three of us fell into an easy flow. Ebony launched into a wild story about her latest date, and Lu chimed in with her commentary. I laughed more than I had in weeks. For a little while, it felt like everything else—the drama, the stress, the constant judgment—didn’t exist. It was just us.

Then the door opened, and I felt it before I saw him.

I didn’t need Ebony’s grin to confirm who it was. “Surprise,” she said, not bothering to hide her satisfaction. “I invited him.”

Davis.

He walked in like he always did, confident but not cocky. When his eyes landed on me, they didn’t move. I thought it might feel awkward, seeing him again after everything that had happened. But seeing his face made me realize how much I’d missed him.

“Davis,” Ebony said, her grin growing wider. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

“Kairi,” Davis said, sliding into the seat next to me, and I hated the way my body responded, muscle memory pulling me toward him before my brain could catch up. He smelled so good it made my stomach flutter.

“Davis,” I said. “What brings you here? I thought you’d still be mad at me. You haven’t answered any of my texts.” I had the nerve to be mad at him about not answering me, but I thought we were at least friends and would continue to be.

“And I won’t tomorrow either,” he said, flashing that familiar grin that used to undo me. He leaned in slightly. “But I still wanted to see your face. Even if I’m still a little hurt.”

The words hit differently than I expected. I looked at him, unsure what to say, but Ebony saved me by getting worked up over another one of her stories. Davis didn’t push, but I could feel his eyes on me.

We talked and laughed like old times, but it was different now. He was different. Or maybe I was.

When Ebony got up to grab another pitcher and Lu went to the bathroom, Davis turned to me. “So, what’s going on with you? I saw everything. It’s a mess, Kairi. Was all this worth being with him?”

I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I stared into my glass, watching the ice cubes shift as I swirled it. “It would’ve been easier with you,” I said finally.

Davis didn’t interrupt.

“You were easy,” I continued, my voice quiet. “Not in a bad way. You were safe. Constant. Predictable.” I turned to look at him.

He nodded. “That’s a lot of compliments,” he said, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“But that’s not what I want.” I met Davis’s gaze, the words catching in my throat. “You know the stories I write, the exaggerated adult fairy tales? I grew up believing in those. Believing in love that shakes you to your core, that makes you question everything, that… changes you.” I paused, swallowing hard. “I can’t settle for easy,” I said quietly. “You’re everything I should want, Davis, and it pisses me off that I just can’t be with you.”

His smile faded completely. “I’m going to call it a night.”

“Davis, I’m sorry,” I said. “Really.”

He shrugged and stood, lifting his glass to his lips. “You made your choice. I hope he’s worth it,” he said before walking off.

I felt like shit.

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