Avery Camden thinks she can walk out of her boyfriend, James Grant's, life after cheating on him with his best friend. For her, the conditions that led to their breakup aren't a beautiful memory.
When barely a year later, her family's business is ha...
James was the first to break the silence with a, "hey."
I licked my lips and breathed. "Hey."
This was awkward. This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to just look at him and turn away. But how could something so wrong feel so right?
"I have to-"
"Would you-"
We both snapped our mouths shut in one moment then laughed softly in the next, his gaze flickering to the cardboard box in his hands. Mine wandered there as well.
We probably looked silly. Him, disheveled, a midnight shadow gracing his chin. And me, stressed out, hair flying everywhere, holding a grocery bag. It was like a scene from a crazy romcom.
"I've decided to move out," announced James. And for some reason, my heart skipped a couple of beats.
"Why?" I sounded too enthusiastic. Too giddy. Too sad.
He chuckled. "I've caused enough drama and problems around here. It's best if I stay away now."
"I thought we both agreed that I played the biggest role in causing my life's problems?"
James smiled, making me smile too even though I wasn't sure what I was smiling about. "We didn't come to that conclusion. Though we can agree that you are terrible at keeping stuff away from people."
That made me chuckle. "Yeah."
A pregnant silence fell upon us. It was almost comfortable. That was until I said, "Kong's moving out." The words were so rushed that I had to punch my lips shut after and mentally slap myself. What was he supposed to do with that information?
James pursed his lips and I found myself wanting to close this impossible distance between us. My brain wasn't getting enough oxygen today. "I know. Pat hasn't shut up about it." Another pause. "Is it because of what Adam blurted?"
"Actually, yes, but we've talked about it and I'm fine with his decision." I nodded. "I'm happy for him. In fact, he and Adam might even become buddies in the nearest future."
"They'd tear each other apart." James laughed.
Another pregnant not-so-awkward pause. Enough time for my brain to race.
James gave me this adrenaline rush whenever he was around. Something I'd never felt around anyone else. He was my kind of perfect. Even with everything that has happened, I still wanted to be around him.
If I could, I'd change the way things happened. I'd tell Kong the truth from the start because he was my best friend and he deserved to know. If I could go back I'd take back every lie I told and replace it with the truth.
If I could, I'd correct everything I'd done wrong with James.
James exhaled and lifted the box in his hands. "I guess I'd better get this to the car then."
"And I'd better make dinner. Can't risk dying of hunger and letting my body be found by a janitor."
James chuckled under his breath, studying me intently. He parted his lips to speak but seemingly decided against it.
"Yeah, so I'll see you? Maybe at school?" I said, beginning to turn around.
James' voice stopped me. "Avery." I spun back around. He looked down. "Do you mind... Getting a coffee together? Sometime?" He paused to exhale. "I understand if you don't want to. Infact I don't even know why I would ask-I'm-I'm terrible at this. Fuck."
This was James. My James. The one who stuttered on our first date and almost doused me with water because he couldn't stop fidgeting. I didn't know how I couldn't see it before. This James hadn't gone anywhere he was just in hiding.
That other James, the confident seething one, he was still James. Just hurt. After everything that had happened, after what had happened the last time James and I tried to be "friends", I should have been terrified. And I was. But I knew what I wanted. And he was standing in front of me.
So with a broad smile, I nodded, trying to keep calm. "I don't mind coffee."
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