Page 5 of More Than We Know

I nod in agreement, even though that’s a massive understatement. We weren’t just friends. We were best friends. We were lovers. We were inseparable. The nostalgia is hitting me in full-force, making it hard to breathe.

“Well, what a coincidence!” Quentin clasps his hands together as Kat and I stare at each other in disbelief. His gaze lands on me, as I’m unusually silent. “Are you alright?”

I tear my gaze away from Kat to look at him and put on a smile that I hope is convincing. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just surprised.” It’s not a lie, but I don’t mention that my fondest memories of her involve her sultry voice murmuring sensual words in my ear and her lips brushing against my skin.

Our time together was short but powerful. Unforgettable. A flame that burned bright but was snuffed out too fast.

My mind drifts back to those hazy days in college. Late nights studying turned into early mornings talking, laughing, and sometimes more. Kat had been a whirlwind in my life, a force of nature that had swept me off my feet. Our connection had been electric. Kat, with her wild spirit and spontaneity, had shown me a side of myself I hadn't known existed. She changed me for the better.

But when Kat had asked me for more in our final semester of college, I’d panicked. I had known our fun couldn't last forever, but a relationship felt soreal. I had cared for her, of course—probably more than I had ever cared about anyone up until that point—but things were so easy between us when everything was undefined. Defining things between us meant definingmyself, and I was too afraid to commit.

Now, here she is, standing in front of me, her eyes just as piercing, her smile just as captivating. And suddenly, I'm nineteen again, full of exhilaration and uncertainty.

I shake off the shock, trying to focus on the present. “So, what have you been up to all these years?” I ask, managing to keep my voice steady despite the chaos in my mind.

Kat's gaze is intense, like she doesn’t believe I’m really here. “I’ve been doing travel photography for the most part,” she says. “I’ve seen some incredible places, met some amazing people. But I finally felt like it was time to settle down in one place, so here I am, back home.”

“That's incredible,” I say, and I mean it. I've always admired Kat's free spirit, her courage to go out and explore the world. She’s always been fearless, which is something I’ve secretly envied as someone who tends to play it safe. “I’ve been here all along, teaching. Quentin and I got married and had two kids. The youngest left for college last week.”

She gives me a wistful smile. “That's wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”

Quentin watches our exchange with a curious expression. “Wow, it’s a small world.”

"It really is," Kat agrees, but her eyes never leave mine.

The air between us is heavy with the weight of our past. So many unspoken “what ifs” linger there.

Quentin seems to sense the shift in the atmosphere. He clears his throat and says, “Well, I think this calls for a celebration. Let me get us another round of drinks.” He flags down the bartender and orders for us, giving me and Kat a moment to ourselves.

Kat leans in slightly and lowers her voice. “I missed you.” She covers my hand with her own, and her touch sparks against my skin.

I shouldn't still feel this way about her.

“I missed you too,” I whisper. Things between us had ended so abruptly. She had wanted more, and I was too afraid. My stupid, young mind had worried about the challenges that would come with dating a woman and moving away from home, and I had let my fear rule me. A part of me will always regret that, even though at the same time I could never regret the life I’ve built with Quentin.

“But I have to say,” Kat continues, her smile softening as she looks at Quentin, “you’ve done well for yourself. He’s quite the charmer.”

I laugh, grateful for the shift in topic. “He is, isn’t he? He’s been an amazing partner.” I glance at him, and he winks at me as he turns and hands us our drinks.

“So, Kat,” Quentin says, “since you and Sarah were such good friends, you must have some great stories. I want to hear all about her college days.”

Kat chuckles. “Oh, I have plenty of stories. But I have to warn you, they might paint a different picture of the Sarah you know now.”

“Now I’mreallyinterested.”

My cheeks heat as my head fills with all the wild stories Kat could tell him. This could be dangerous. “Don’t believe everything she says. I was young and still figuring things out.”

“We all were,” Kat replies with a mischievous glance in my direction. “But for someone who was so much of a rule follower, you could be swayed into adventures pretty easily. Remember that time we snuck into a wedding reception in the fancy building right off campus?”

I groan and cover my face with my hand. “Oh my god, I haven’t thought about that in years.”

“I was so sure we were going to get caught. But it was worth it for the drinks and dessert. And the dancing, of course,” she adds, flashing me a flirty smile. How could I forget the way she had whisked me away on that dance floor?

“Wait, you two crashed a wedding?” Quentin asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Like I said, I was young and reckless.” I shake my head but can’t hold back the smile that comes to my lips. Those days with Kat were some of the most exhilarating of my life, and the memory of her dragging me along while I second guessed everything fills me with nostalgia. That was always our dynamic: me, the rule follower, and her, the fearless woman who swept me off my feet and make every day an adventure.

Quentin smirks. “Well, it seems like I do have some more to learn about my wife, then.”

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