When Love Breaks by Jack

The arrow hit the bullseye, though it wasn’t exactly planned that way.

By the time the meeting wrapped up at the office, dusk was already creeping in. I had hitched a ride with Christine earlier in the day.

I was just about to call an Uber back to the hospital.

Christine offered to drop me off, and I shot her a sidelong glance, teasing, “I saw you texting Dailey during the meeting. Don’t let me hold you back from… whatever’s brewing there.”

Christine’s laughter was bright and beautiful. “Oh, what now? You’ve become a screen peeker?”

“Just happened to catch a glimpse.”

I chuckled awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

During the meeting, she was seated diagonally to my left, leaning over the table to text. It was impossible not to see.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Gregory.

“All done with the meeting?”

His voice, relaxed and casual, flowed from the other end of the line, making me smile.

“Yeah, just finished. I’m heading back to the hospital to check on Ramona, then home.”

If I kept up my constant vigil at the hospital, she’d start suspecting she had some incurable disease.

said, “Then come on down.

“You’re here?”

his voice cheerful, “Picking up Ms. Webster from work is all in a

“I’ll be right there.”

lifted. Turning to Christine, I saw her gesturing hurriedly, “Go on, go on. Look at you, all lovesick the

it in our faces

“You…”

go get him,

my office and made a beeline

the building, the parking garage still held the warmth of late summer

against his

phone, his casually drooping eyelids giving off a cool detachment. He had the look of someone who doesn’t take much

seemed utterly carefree

a word, he suddenly stretched out an arm

didn’t even look. Weren’t

“Not afraid.”

of my

countered, “Isn’t

my cheek and looking deep into my eyes, “In

cheeks warmed, and I wriggled free