Page 52 of Heartache & Playdates
“You go it.”
The smile that spread on her face went from ear to ear and looked to be a combination of both relief and excitement. “Thank you!”
I couldn’t help but smile as she walked out and the door closed behind her. I grabbed my phone and saw that I still didn’t have a text from Peyton. There was a chance that I was going to show up at the restaurant tonight and get ghosted for the third time.
But it was a chance I was willing to take.
20
PEYTON
I walkedup the street and my calves were burning. I’d forgotten how many hills were in the city. My palms grew damp and my mouth grew dry as I approached the restaurant. My senses were already on overload, and I hadn’t even seen him yet.
I’d rehearsed what I was going to say over and over in my head. I would tell him that what we’d shared in the past was amazing, but it was just that, the past.
I’d tell him that I would always love him, but I wasn’t a teenager anymore.
I’d tell him that I wished him the best in his life and that I hoped he wished the same for me, but I would understand if he didn’t.
Those were my talking points. It was simple. Straightforward.
I knew that he would have questions. I knew that he would be persuasive. I knew he would look in my eyes and see that I was lying about what I really wanted. But I had no other choice. This had to be done.
I walked into the restaurant and was immediately greeted by a tall, reed thin man with thinning red hair and wire rimmed glasses. “Miss Russo, Mr. Cruz is waiting for you.”
I licked my lips nervously and knew that tomorrow I’d probably wake up to them being chapped because of my nervous tic.
As I followed the nice gentleman in the white button up shirt and slacks, I couldn’t help but feel like I was walking the plank to my demise. With each step I was sure my blood pressure rose by at least ten points.
The door opened to a magical outdoor garden complete with twinkle lights in the trees and soft music playing. As gorgeous as the scenery was, it didn’t hold a candle to the man seated at the sole table in the center of the courtyard.
He stood and my heart constricted painfully in my chest. I wasn’t sure why it did that whenever Maddox was near. Maybe it was because he’d always been something I couldn’t have.
When we were teens, I’d had to keep our relationship a secret because I was forbidden to date. Nonna knew that he was my “friend” but I’d always suspected she knew there was something going on. Now as an adult, I couldn’t be with him for other reasons that were even more complicated. Nonetheless, the outcome was the same. Maybe that’s why my heart ached, because it knew it couldn’t be with him, where it belonged.
“Hi.” He rounded the table and leaned down, kissing me on my forehead.
I closed my eyes and for a brief moment everything was right in my world. I was in the perfect bubble where I felt safe. I felt protected. I felt loved.
When he moved away, I exhaled heavily as reality came crashing down around me. He helped me out of my coat and pulled out my chair as I lowered down onto it. He took his seat opposite me. He stared at me with a look that I’d never seen before. It was detached. The connection that was always so alive between us was broken. His guard was definitely up.
Maybe it was up because I left without saying goodbye, again. Maybe it was up because I was in San Francisco and hadn’t told him. Or maybe it was up because the woman I’d seen him with today was someone he was serious about and he was here to tell me.
The last option would be the best. It would solve everything. Nevertheless, the thought of it made me feel sicker than the night Leo and I had finished off two bottles of Don Julio by ourselves.
When he didn’t speak, I sat up taller and cleared my throat. “Thanks for coming.”
His lips curled up in a lethally sexy half-grin, the one that acted as a shot of expresso to the slumbering butterflies low in my belly awakening them and causing them to party.
“I invited you.” The deep timbre in his voice sent shockwaves rolling through my body.
This was not a good start.
The server appeared and introduced himself as Marco before telling us the specials and offering us wine. We both refused. I went with chamomile tea, I needed to do this stone cold sober. Maddox ordered coffee, and I wondered if the caffeine would keep him up, but I kept my query to myself.
“Remember, anything you want.” Maddox grinned as I picked up my menu.
Internally, I swooned. I knew it was silly to feel special because he’d remembered his promise to me. But it had been a long time ago and I did feel special.
