Cabin Tales

Chapter 37

I said, "What do you know about true love?"

Jasper shrugged. "He could be waiting to find the right time to chase after you."

I scoffed. That was not true either. If it was, Daniel would've walked back into the café when I saw him that one morning during my short break. I spent the rest of the day wondering if he'd show up again, but he didn't. That was his choice and I understood why. But if he had shown up that day, I would have completely fallen into his arms, ready to embrace him finally and completely. At the time, I was confident that would be the moment he'd come back, ready to sweep me off my feet and take me away from this town.

Of course, that never happened. I pushed the hurt down and continued with my days as though I never confessed that I missed the guy to his face. In fact, that day never happened according to my brain, which had buried the entire interaction.

***

Gray was sitting in his usual spot on the couch when I got home. He always sat on the side closest to the window that I could've sworn he had his very own butt imprint there. If someone took his spot, he'd subtly ask them to move. If they refused, he'd move them himself.

I took comfort in the fact that he was making a home for himself here.

"You're late," he said, a coffee mug in one hand and a newspaper in the other. (This man was the definition of daddy in every sense, just saying. A newspaper? Hello? Why couldn't I just be attracted to him?)

"Didn't have very much else to do," I said, shrugging off my coat and not bothering to pick it up off the ground. "Just chatted with my manager until we closed."

"It's a bad day to be late," he said as he flipped a page of the newspaper. I had no idea who read newspapers anymore, but Gray insisted it was easier to read on paper than on his phone. I always figured he did it for the aesthetic.

I raised a brow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm just saying."

"What?"

I took a seat on the other side of the couch, automatically reaching for the remote. This was how we spent most nights these days. Sharing a couch that wasn't even ours to begin with – it was Ivy's grandma's – and watching mindless television. Practically livin' the dream.

Gray put the paper down and squeezed my knee. "You're lucky you're not too late."

"What are you even–" A pounding on the door caused me to jump out of my seat. I stood between the door and the couch, glancing over at Gray who stared at me with a dumb grin on his face. I asked, "Did you order pizza or something?"

"I can't remember."

A knock sounded again, and I considered pretending nobody was home. Neither of us made a move for the entrance. Gray was still staring at me, using his hands motioning to open the door.

"Just open it already," he pushed.

I squinted my eyes at him. "Give it a minute. They'll probably go away."

I waited a moment for another knock, but it didn't happen. Satisfied that whoever was there had left, I opened the door, fully prepared to bend over to pick up whatever my roommate ordered. When the knobbed turned to reveal the other side to me, I wondered if my gasp could be heard from across the world.

"What are you..." I was speechless seeing Daniel standing before me. Speechless because I thought I'd be the one to seek him out eventually. It was I who needed to apologize for what happened all those years ago when he overheard my conversation.