Page 72 of Icy Heart, Empty Chest
But sometimes the anticipation of something happening is actually worse than the thing itself, it seems.
“And how did she know your work schedule?” he pondered, perplexed.
I didn’t want to know and I voiced that.
Undeterred, he tugged me south. “Come on. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
It was a short walk from the community college school where the graduation was being held to my former place of employment.
“Why are we at The Magical Beans?”
“Because I’m a sentimental horsey and I wanted to point something out. I was sitting at that table, near the beam over there when I saw you for the first time since his funeral.”
I cringed. I never really apologized for demonizing him for all those years.
“I told you that you bowled me over. That’s not technically true. I think it was close to four and Jenna was on with you. You came out of the back room, holding a big bag and dropped it on the back counter. I don’t think you saw me. But I saw your hair. I whipped my head around so fast that I did a spit take with my coffee.”
I snorted. “You did not.”
“I swear on my mother’s grave,” he replied solemnly then grinned cheekily. “I’d be lying if I said my next thoughts weren’t about your ass.”
I blushed into a deep purple color. “Really, Dae?”
“Shocking, I know,” he teased. “You were right there in front of me after all that time had passed, looking amazing, and you hated my guts. That was a special form of hell, love.”
“I got better…eventually,” I pouted.
He put an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t be embarrassed, love. Water under the bridge.”
Damien had the ability to be way more forgiving than I. I was more prideful, holding onto things way longer than was needed, including remorse.
He started to maneuver me away.
“Now where are we headed?”
“Curious little nymph. You’ll see,” he taunted. Man, I hated not knowing but he loved surprises.
After another ten minutes of walking, I saw where he was bringing me to.
“The diner? Are we reliving all of our greatest hits?”
He smiled. “Something like that.”
He pointed at the window.
“We were right there that day you decided to come back into my life.”
“Well, I was definitely curious why you were texting me after all that time.”
“But I was right, wasn’t I?”
My face scrunched up in confusion. “About what?”
“That you were the only one that could help me.”
I nodded. “Well, you were sort of blackmailing me.”
“Desperate times, love.” He tapped his sternum. The scar was barely visible to the naked eye. I knew it was there. That was enough.
