Page 17 of If You Stayed

He looked over his shoulder and saw me waving his suit jacket in the air. He whispered something to Ramona, and she nodded before continuing toward the front of the house where their car was waiting. Gabriel walked over toward me.

“Sorry, I almost stole your jacket,” I said, handing it over.

“Not a problem. And I do apologize for Ramona’s comments on Henry. I blame it on one too many glasses of wine.”

“No worries. Henry is handsome. I hear it all the time. Plus, our dinner parties do have quite an array of alcohol flowing. It’s part of the Henry Hughes experience. Most of the time, guests arrive in their own cars and are sent off in taxis.”

Gabriel didn’t smile this time. I wasn’t even certain he was completely taking in my words. He hesitated as if falling back into thought. His mouth parted and then he said, “This is going to sound crazy, but I swear I’ve seen you before?” He asked it as a question.

I swallowed hard. “I—”

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “Do you get coffee from Florence Bakery?”

My gut dropped. I nodded my head. “I do. Every morning before I go into work.”

He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. That’s where I’ve seen you before. I go every morning, too.”

We’ve crossed paths in Florence Bakery before? How many times? Have we bumped shoulders before? Has his arm grazed mine? How many months have we been in the same room, breathing the same air? How have I not noticed him? Sure, Florence is normally packed, but still… I can’t believe that for months I may have been so close to him, but still so far away.

It pained me slightly, seeing that he’d only recognized me from the bakery. It was clear he didn’t recall me completely. It was clear that Amma made sure to never share anything about me with her son. A part of me resented that, but a bigger part of me understood. I’d already taken so much from their lives. The least I could do was keep the promise I’d made to Gabriel’s mother during the darkest season of her life. Especially when those dark days were caused by me.

Besides, Gabriel seemed good. He seemed happy. I feared if he learned about his and my connection, it would only add confusion to his life. I didn’t want that for him. All I wanted, all I ever wanted, was for him to be happy. Even if that meant he’d never have any memories of me.

“They have great coffee,” I said, uncertain of what else to express.

“And cinnamon muffins.”

I smiled. “I always get their cinnamon muffins. I get there extra early to get one, because they always sell out. I’ve nevernotgotten a cinnamon muffin from them.”

He gasped. “Never?”

“Never.”

“I have cried for hours over losing out on the muffins,” he teased. “And now I’m almost certain it’s you who is getting the last one before me.”

I shrugged with a smug look of pleasure. “That’s on you for showing up too late. Step up your game.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“All I know is I’m never going without my muffin. I will throw elbows for that dang thing. It makes my mornings that much brighter.”

“So you work in the city?”

“I do. I’m a therapist.”

“Oh.” He nodded. “That makes sense.”

I chuckled. “Does it?”

“It does.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I’m pretty good at reading people. I study people all the time. I’m a professional at two things—architecture and people watching.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.” He smirked. “And you give off therapist vibes.”

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