Until There Was You

Chapter 17

The queue in her favourite coffee shop is once again long and Melinda tries not to sigh in frustration as she joins the queue of customers. She had hoped she would have missed the late evening rush.

Once she's finally got her usual large cappuccino she heads outside and squints a little against the low, setting sun, before she checks her phone to see how many bookings she has at the studio tomorrow. She's so absorbed in checking the few bookings on her phone screen that she doesn't notice the figure who appears next to her.

'Uh. . . hey, Melinda.'

She feels her heart slam against her rib cage at the familiar voice and slowly turns her head, only to be met with a familiar pair of beautiful eyes.

'Tristan.. .?' she gasps, her voice suddenly a little hoarse.

He gives her an awkward smile while she tries to comprehend what he's doing here. So many questions are bombarding her mind right now as she slips her phone back into her handbag. 'Wha- what are you. . . what are you doing here?' she finally asks him, suddenly struggling to find her voice.

'I was in the area. . . getting my usual coffee,' he replies while holding up the takeaway cup he's holding in his hand.

She gives him a disbelieving look. 'Really?' she questions. London is a huge city. There's surely no way he had found her by accident.

He looks a little sheepish under her scrutinising gaze, and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

'Okay. . . I may have come here on purpose with the hope of seeing you again. But I didn't expect to find you this easily.'

A brief smile appears on her face. 'I'm glad you did,'she finds herself telling him. When she had first moved to London she had hoped he would come after her, but when he hadn't she had eventually given up holding out hope of ever seeing him again, believing he had moved on from her. So to see him outside her usual coffee shop after a whole three years of silence has filled her with a happiness she hasn't experienced in a long time.

'I've. . . really missed you,' she says and it's not a lie.

He gives her a surprised look. 'I thought you would have forgotten all about me,' he admits. 'After what you said. . . and everything.'

They both think back to the day her mum had died and she remembers herself telling him to go away and leave her alone, pointing out that she didn't need his help.

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. 'I was in a bad place back then,' she mutters. 'I really didn't mean anything I said. It just had all been a little too much for me to handle.'

His voice is soft and understanding when he speaks. 'I know. You said so in your note,' he points out. 'But you didn't give us a chance to say goodbye to each other.' He sounds disappointed and she awkwardly wraps her arms around herself.

'I was going to phone you once I got settled here. . .but I chickened out every time,' she explains. 'I was afraid you wouldn't want to talk to me. . . after what I said.'

'I would always answer if you called me, Melinda. You know this,' he tells her with a serious look in his eyes.

'But I upset you,' she mutters. 'I hurt you. . .'

He glances down at the coffee cup in his hand. 'That's true. . . I was upset when you told me you didn't want my help. . . but you should know that I don't hold grudges.'

She glances at him as he meets her eyes. 'I do know,' she admits before a couple pass by extremely close to them, and they both suddenly realise that they're standing almost in the middle of the pavement.