Page 25 of Estranged Heart
Fumbling with his shirt, Flower Shop Guy glances around the restaurant before meeting my gaze again, his face tensing. “Hi.”
Clearing my throat, I offer him a smile. “Hey. It’s you again. Looks like you found your way here after all. You sure you’re not following me? Because these have to be some weird odds.”
His face flushes and he rocks back on his heels. “Positive. Definitely a strange coincidence. I had no idea this was your restaurant.”
“I’ve only recently started coming in here. Do you eat here often or something?”
Shaking his head, he continues to fumble with his shirt. “No. I’ve oddly only been here one time. But I’m trying to be better about that now I’m driving again.” Huh? I’m not sure which statement to question more, but not wanting to pry too much into his personal life, I go for the one anyone else would choose to continue the conversation.
“Do you know someone here?” Not sure why else he’d have a reason to want to come here more. Why I’m hoping for the reason to be a family member instead of a boyfriend or girlfriend, I don’t know. So many things can’t be explained when he’s around. He’s been a distraction I didn’t think I needed. I laugh and smile more whenever he’s in close proximity to me, forgetting I’m supposed to be drowning in sadness. I can’t figure out whether that makes his entrance into my life a blessing or a curse.
“Yeah. I came to have lunch with my wife, Stacey.”
My body stiffens. He’s married. My eyes drop to his ring finger, the silver band shining brightly under the restaurant lights. I’ve never noticed it before. So he has a wife—big deal. Not any of my business or concern. People are allowed to be married if they want. I was too, not long ago, and Landon was also a big surprise. Not in the same way. Of course not in the same way.
“Oh, that’s nice,” I say awkwardly. “Does she know you’re here?’
“I’m not sure.” He glances around him as if expecting her to pop up out of nowhere. “I texted her but she must be busy. I can always wait outside if I’m in the way.”
“Nah, you’re fine where you are. You can have a seat somewhere if you’d like and we can bring you water or something while you wait.”
“No. I don’t want to be too much trouble. Here is fine.” He runs a shaky hand through his hair.
He’s a lot more nervous and fidgety today than he was the last time I saw him. Holding a book in his hand while browsing all the shelves he was completely in his element, wearing a natural smile on his face. It only faltered briefly when I first approached him, catching him off guard. His demeanor relaxed as conversation flowed easily between us. I’m waiting for it to happen again. For him to joke or walk a little too close the way he did last time.
For whatever reason, him being around feels more right than it should—familiar and comfortable. He’s a stranger so nothing about it is logical. What I don’t understand the most is why I felt like we’d met before when I first ran into him at the floral shop.
“There you are.” A soft voice comes from behind me. Stacey is rounding the corner with a smile plastered across her face, flattening her hands over her apron. She continues approaching her husband, paying me no mind. “I sent you a text a few minutes ago. Did you not get it?”
Staring down at his pocket, he grabs his phone and checks it, appearing dumbfounded. “Oh. I didn’t hear it.”
“Ah, that’s alright. All that matters is I found you. Want to eat here or the place across the road?”
His face wrinkles as if he’s making the most important decision of his life. “Second option. I’m in the mood foregg rolls,” he says stiffly, his smile plastic and unconvincing. Nothing about him is easygoing today and he’s so serious with all his responses.
“Great, Chinese it is. I could do with a change anyway,” she responds, not at all thrown off by his actions or strange temperament. Who is this man? My gaze shuffles between them, and I can’t stop myself from listening in on the conversation. I guess I’m still searching for the person from the bakery, who joked about making me take the first sip of his drink and didn’t care if strawberry jelly dripped from his face while he lit up under the mellow lights, but he’s nowhere to be found.
Grabbing him by the arm, she cranes her neck to face me. “I’ll be back in thirty. Try not to miss me too much!” I don’t know Stacey well, but we have talked more than once—the first time being when Landon was alive. She’s a nice, upbeat person. Not very dependable or great with time management, but easy to get along with, nonetheless. I’ve kept her on because I’m familiar with having my life flip upside down, leaving me hanging in the balance.
“See you then, and nice meeting you again,” I shout toward the man whose name I still don’t know. Why don’t I ever think to ask? It’s an easy question that anyone else would think of, but basic things don’t always come to me when he’s around. We start talking and are suddenly caught in some strange universe of our own. One where all bad things disappear into the distance and all I see is him.
It’s like I don’t know how to make anything else exist until he’s gone. It’s not that I want him. Sure, he’s attractive—gorgeous even—but my heart still belongs to Landon and probably always will. No way can I be lusting after someone else so soon. So what the hell does this all mean then?
“Yeah, same.” He waves his hand in my direction as they exit the restaurant, Stacey’s gaze bouncing between us with interest as her arm clutches him tightly—possessively.
He’s her husband, the one who’s sick all the time. I’d never guess anything was wrong by looking at him, but hey, maybe he’s as good at pretending as I am. If he was constantly struggling like Landon said, I understand why he didn’t get out much before. Is he better now? Was he having a good day all the other times but not doing as well today? It could explain the change.
He didn’t laugh, smile, or show much of a personality. If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume he was someone else. How am I supposed to know who he truly is? I’ve been around the guy only four times but out of all of them, today he stood out to me the most, and not in a good way.
Was he being himself then or now?
Shaking off my thoughts, I shift my attention to sorting the menus. When Chelsea comes in, pinning her name badge to her apron, she apologizes profusely while rushing toward the break room. After she’s done putting her purse away and clocking in, she replaces me at the front and apologizes again.
“Flats can be unpredictable. Nothing you could’ve prevented. I’m only glad you’re okay, and here.” Offering her a comforting smile, I pat her on the shoulder before telling everyone bye for the day. No messages or missed calls from the police station wait for me on the phone. Nothing new regarding Landon’s case. The wait is killing me. My patience is wearing thin.
Are they really looking into everything I asked them to? Did they not find anything on his phone or any suspicious activity at the doctor’s office he had all his testing done at? If I knew where to start, I’d take matters into my own hands, but all I can do is be patient and hope they do their job.
Instead of going home, I drive to the place I sometimes go after work—where I last felt happy and complete. Not havingjustice for my husband, dealing with all these confusing feelings, and after the weird interaction with the Flower Shop Guy, it’s definitely needed.
