Chapter 101
Chapter 101
She readjusted her posture for the umpteenth time, her left foot mindlessly tapping along the tile beneath the small, two-person table where she were seated. Her heart skipped an occasional beat, and her hands were clammy against the iced tea she fiddled with absently. It's two weeks before the wedding and she didn't want to be, but she was nervous, Despite how much and how often she had rehearsed this situation in her mind, she wasn't prepared for it. Not really. Even though this was the right thing to do, she still harbored a sick feeling in her stomach.
Kylan had no idea what she was doing. She left their home under the guise that she needed to run a few last-minute errands before their flight to New Zealand in a few days. He didn't question her too much, and she was both glad and terribly guilty.
She couldn't tell him what she was doing, though. If she did, and if it all went wrong, it would only hurt him. He had enough pain, enough ghosts that still threatened to swallow him whole at random times.
ity that this would backfire entirely
He didn't need the weight of this conversation. The heaviness of the very real possibility
It was easier, less r messy, if he didn't know right now.
Her fingers subconsciously found the solid band of her engagement ring and the spun it a few times, taking notice of the ridges and outlines of the beautiful stone situated at the center. She licked her lips, rolling her shoulders before checking the clock on her phone for the seventh time in the
last five minutes.
He was late. Two minutes late.
What if he didn't show?
He hadn't exactly been thrilled when she found his phone number amidst Kylan's contacts and then proceeded to message him a few days ago. Her stomach churned uncomfortably, her eyes scanning the busy street in front of her. The weather was sweltering now that summer was in full swing, and she could feel a layer of sweat coating the hack of her neck.
She glanced at the time again.
Four minutes.
Okay. This was New York City. Traffic was impossible. He was n doubt casing him in on all sides..
most likely stuck at an intersection, waiting among the loud hors of the cars no
"Katrina?"
Her neck snapped to the direction where her name was being uttered, only just avoiding knocking her tes over in her haste.
And there he was.
The man who grew up with Kylan. The man who once knew Kylan as well as she was lucky to now. The man who had loved the woman that Kylan aho cared for
showed her in his closet
in the photo, and his eyes didn't reflect the same
that he was
what to do.
him for a second too long, and she hurried to her feet, the hem of
She closed her hand into a that and sat back down, gesturing to the seat across from her. "I wasn't sure what you
on the table in front of him and avoiding her gaze entirely while he looked it over. "The iced
picking up the tea in question to take a sip of it. The coolness of the liquid did very little to calm the fire now building in her throat. Their waiter stopped by a
then there
Awkward, unbearable silence.
Chapter 101
Charged silence.
A congested silence
ring on her finger. The ring that now felt like it weighed far more
say "Why did you ask me here, Katrina?" James broke the awkward tension first, his voice guarded, his hands folded on the cable in front of him. She inhaled purposefully, taking another drink of her tea for good
this for Kylan. Because even if he wouldn't admit it, she knew this was important. She knew this conversation needed
surprised by how measured her voice was coming across. She gripped her glass between her fingertips, watching trails of condensation trickle down the cup, painting the tabletop with small rings of water. "I know he would never admit it out Joud, but 1 also know
not anymore. Kylan and I have a complicated relationship
shift and move like he wanted to leave. To get away from her. Or
it not this moment. This pivotal
her elbows. "No, you're still important to him." She was firm. Steadfast. Hopefully leaving no room for him to rebuttal. "I don't know everything that happened between you. I won't pretend to understand thr.. Confusion and frustration that came with Yasmin dying. But
sharply clenched teeth. "Please, don't talk about her. Don't talk about something
I don't understand, like I said. But I didn't ask you to meet me to argue about Yasmin." She tried to redirect the conversation, ignoring the way her heart stuttered in the walls
James snapped at her, ignoring the waiter entirely when they brought his tea. He made no move to
are getting married in two weeks. In New Zealand."
ring once more. "Congratulations. I'm happy for you." He
James opened his mouth to probably protest. "I understand wanting to blame someone, anyone, when
Kylan had feelings for Yasmin, and Yasmin wanted to be with you. I don't know if Yasmin ever returned Kylan's affection, and that isn't what's important. Not really. Not anymore." She laughed bitterly, shaking
met James' gaze, realizing her eyes were swimming with
things.... Some things change and shift in ways that you can never come back from. I get why that happened between you and Kylan. But, James, Kylan mases you. I know he does. I can tell he does" Sull holding his stare, she reached into her purse next to her and withdrew a large, white
plane tickets in there, along with hotel and rental car reservations for you and your girlfriend." She took a deep breath, pretending she didn't see the way James eyes widened as he looked at the envelope
was silent for a few minutes, and the made no move to say anything else. She let him think. She
was out of line. She didn't know if she got her point across the way she intended to. She wasn't sure if she just royally f*cked up the
she would do if the
to make Kylan happy like this. Not
314PM
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