The love I Never Saw

pring had a cruel sense of humor - one minute you were basking in unexpected su

e my cur

me distance after... well, everything. But Ashwood had become a place where ideas flowed, where the buzz of conversations and clink of coffee cups dr

gray day. I pulled the door open and was instantly wrapped in warmth and soft jazz humming from t

ad decision in huma

t-there. Sitting in his usual spot by the window, dark sweater sleeves pushed to hi

expecting me. Our eyes locked, and something unspoken

ed awa

wa

u're late," she said as I slid in across from her. "Dramatically walki

s raining. I wasn't tryi

as tea in a Victorian scandal. "So tell me. When exa

body jerk

looks. And don't act like he's subtle either. Darren's got the emotiona

at her. "

ged. "In

buried my fa

im in the stockroom. I'm saying... maybe stop pretending

t ready for that. Not again. Not after the rejections,

ust to shut her up, but my gaze

n't looked

ld feel h

ng. Th

alw

*

my headphones in, pretending not to care when Darren w

nding to wri

ones out. "Still p

, barely.

silence

to talk about what happ

sharply. "

kly. "Just... if you want to t

back staircase that led to Ashwood's private lof

l minute before closing my l

now what I

uldn't stay dow

bookshelves and mismatched armchairs. Rain tappe

n the couch, phone a

espectful distance away. We just sat there, liste

e final

ll through because t

still talking ab

icked to mi

silenc

imi," he said quietly.

hed. "I

at's fine. You'r

lt tight, but not in a bad way. Like some

n, his expression was unreadable.

errifying thought that

didn't

t