Page 14 of Thanks for the Love
He points to a gate between the houses and meets me on the other side.
I follow him toward the french doors, and on the way, he grabs a towel and wraps it around his waist. He still hasn’t made any attempt to cover his upper body.Is he doing it on purpose?
“Help yourself to a fresh cup of coffee. I’ll be right back.”
“Thanks.”
I look around Theo’s kitchen. It’s a similar layout to Lila’s, but the appliances look newer. I place my cup down and lean against the marble countertop.
Being here is so surreal. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the last twenty-four hours. I really expected to be busy unpacking and getting settled in my new home. Somehow, I’ve ended up in my hot neighbor’s kitchen for breakfast. I swear, there’s never a dull moment in my life.
“Okay, what do you like in your eggs?” Theo asks, dragging me out of my thoughts.
He’s now wearing a snug black T-shirt, black Adidas sweatpants, and flip-flops. Honestly, the man could wear a trash bag and he’d still look good.
“I have spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, and bell peppers,” he calls over his shoulder.
“All of that sounds good to me.”
He peers around the refrigerator door and smiles. “Excellent.”
I finally get myself a fresh cup of hot coffee and hop onto a barstool.
Theo starts chopping vegetables like a pro.
“Can I help you with anything?” I ask, wrapping my hands around my cup. “I feel bad sitting here while you do all the work."
“Nope, you’re my guest,” he says. “And I enjoy doing this.”
I suddenly feel like I’m watching a show on Food Network. He throws the veggies into a saucepan and starts cracking eggs.
“You’re really good at this cooking gig. You look like a pro.”
He chuckles. “I got so sick of ordering takeout. I had no choice but to learn.”
“I’m an expert at ordering takeout,” I say proudly.
I watch Theo continue to move around the kitchen. He places two plates on the counter.
“So, why did you decide to move to Miami?”
I sip my coffee. There’s the big question again. He’s probably going to regret asking me once he hears the answer.
“Well, my life in Orlando had basically fallen apart, and I was in a really dark place. When I was offered a job here, I knew I had to go for it because it was my chance to get away.”
He’s moved to the stove, and I continue watching him work while we talk. He obviously knows what he’s doing. I’ve tried to make omelets on several occasions, but they never seem to turn out. I usually give up and scramble them.
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did your life fall apart?” he asks. “Sorry. You don’t have to tell me …”
I exhale loudly. There’s no reason not to tell him what happened back in Orlando. As difficult as it was, it’s part of my life, and maybe sharing it will help me continue to heal.
“I was planning my dream wedding to a man I thought was my soul mate. Amber, my best friend in the whole world, was right by my side the entire time. Everything was going well until about five months ago when I found out they were sleeping together.”
Theo’s jaw drops open. “What? Are you serious?”
“I sure am. The two most important people in my life betrayed me.”
Each time I tell the story, it feels like I’m reliving it all over again. The moment I saw them together is so vivid in my mind, like it just happened. It still cuts as deep as it did that day.
