Unforgettable Feelings

Chapter 46

The next day, Josie was home alone. Zena was out with Dante who'd come for her early in the morning to take her out for a quick breakfast before their tour, or so he'd said.

Josie was curled up in the living room beneath a blanket with a cup of tea and a new book from her recent purchase. She was just a few chapters in and she couldn't wait to finish it. That was why she never started a new book during the week; she'd never put it down until she was done.

She took a sip of her tea and put it back on the coffee table, eyes going back and forth as she kept reading. She was snapped out of the scene when her doorbell rang.

Sighing, she stuck her bookmarker between the pages before she pulled the blanket away and got up. Slipping her socks covered feet into her slip-on, she made her way towards the door unlatching it before pulling it open.

"Delivery for Josie O'Callaghan."

Josie frowned as she stared at the delivery guy.
"That would be me."

"Sign here please."

Josie took the pen and signed before she was handed a bouquet of flowers.
"Thank you."

"Have a good day." He said before he walked away and she shut the door.

Josie stared at the flowers as she made her way to the kitchen. The bouquet was an arrangement of different shades of coral flowers which was a colour she secretly liked. Josie didn't have favourite flowers, she thought all flowers were beautiful hence the variation.

But who knew to get something like this for her?

She noticed the card as she placed the flowers on the island. Flipping it open she read:

Jo,

Have lunch with me?
Please.

- K

There were a time and an address at the bottom and she felt her heart gallop so fast in her chest.

Kaiden.

Her first thought was it'd be nice to see him after what had happened and weeks of not seeing him. Her second, the more she thought about it, was should she?

His last words to her were I'll take it slow.

She had no idea what to expect from this lunch and the more she thought about it the more she dug deeper and began to overthink the simple lunch.

It's just lunch.
She told herself.

Sighing, Josie placed the card on the island and went back to her spot on the sofa, pulling her blanket over her head as she placed it on a cushion.

What to do?

Kaiden waited behind his car, leaning against the trunk, hand in pocket. He had lost count of how many times he'd checked his watch. She was not late, he was just anxious.

It was a minute to the time he'd asked her to meet him there when he saw her car heading towards him then pulled up perfectly at the spot next to his car. He watched her turn the engine off, take her seatbelt off, open the car door and step out.

She was dressed comfy like she always did when she wasn't heading to work. She slipped her phone in her back pocket and locked her car doors with the remote as she headed towards him.

He met her halfway and stopped right in front of her. There was a moment of silence where they just stared at each other.

"Thank you for meeting me."

She nodded.

"Shall we?"

She took the first step and then Kaiden walked beside her, his hand going to the small of her back but then immediately stopping himself. They stepped inside the busy restaurant and were led to their table.

He picked this place because it wasn't too personal. It was busy which meant she could breathe and not worry about their conversation getting too personal.

"How are you?"

Josie looked at him as she placed her phone on the table.

There was something about that question she didn't like, from anyone, not because it was Kaiden who was asking.

She nodded.
"I'm good. You?"

"Ok." He said. "I'm surprised you came."

"I was surprised by the flowers." She said. "How did the meeting go yesterday?"

"Great. But we aren't here to talk about work."

Josie's breath caught as she looked at him.

"Breathe Josie. I'm not going to talk about anything you don't want to talk about."

She felt the breath leave her and her shoulders fell.

They placed their order and then the waiter left them.

"I'm sorry." He said.

Josie looked at him from the departing waiter.
"What for?"

"Everything." He said. "I realized I haven't really apologized for anything. Everything. And I know sorry won't fix it, but I am sorry."

"The past is past."

"You say that but I know the hurt, it stays regardless."

His mum?
She wondered.

"And I'm sorry for the last time we spoke." He said. "I shouldn't have sprung it all on you the way I did."

She was uncomfortable with the number of apologies. Kaiden wasn't one to beg or apologize, that much she remembered but this man across from her had not only begged her to come for lunch but had apologized twice in a row.

"It's ok." She said with a small smile.

"It's not. I think I ruined any chance of us being friends."

"Friends?" Josie asked not sure if that made her relieved or sad.

"If...you'd like." Kaiden said hesitantly which almost made Josie smile.

She shrugged.
"It doesn't happen overnight."

"Great. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Their food arrived and Kaiden chose a light topic that got the conversation flowing. Soon, she was more relaxed than she'd been when she arrived. She was smiling more and talking more.

Friends.

She had no idea how she felt about being friends with Kaiden. It was hard not to overthink everything and also avoid talking about the past with him when she wanted to tell him so many things.

But she held it all back.

She wouldn't overthink.

Friends.

Although, wasn't that how it all started?

Only this time, she'd learnt her lesson, she even had scars from it. She wasn't going to let herself feel anything other than friendship.

Even though the past was past, it was all the reminder she needed not to repeat history.