"Here is fine."
Deciding that my legs can take me to my destination faster than a taxi stuck in mid-morning traffic, I pay the driver and exit on West 14th street. Tilting my head towards the sunshine, I take a moment to savor this mild spring day before I begin my short journey to my destination.
I join the collection of individuals that walk with determination along the sidewalk. Weaving in and out, I focus on avoiding collisions while keeping my hurried pace. I'm late, not that that's surprising; time has a habit of always escaping me. I silently curse myself for wearing my high-heeled boots as I falter on the uneven edge of the poorly laid concrete. Regaining my balance, I reach into my black tote to retrieve my now ringing cell phone.
"Sorry, Soph! I'm just down the road. I'll be there in two minutes." Taking a right onto 8th Avenue, the scent of fresh fruit hits me as I pass a corner fruit stand. My appreciation of the glistening red apples is momentary as I rush along the street.
"I'm calling to tell you that I'm also running late. There's a breaking story and I can't leave right now."
"Oh, no problem! I promise Liam and I will stall by eating as much cake as possible until you arrive," I return breathlessly.
"Liam can't make it today. He's also caught up at work."
My fast stride falters. Something isn't right. Liam would never miss an opportunity to eat cake.
"Ok," I respond suspiciously and add, "if you want, I can re-schedule the tasting for next week."
"No, it's fine. I trust you to pick something amazing. Besides, Ethan has volunteered to help so if you choose something disgusting, you can both share the blame."
I abruptly halt on the sidewalk. The person trailing closely behind me doesn't have enough time to stop and crashes into my back. He scowls in response to my apology and continues on his way. Judging by his expensive suit and quick stride, he must be running very late to his next meeting.
"Sophie!" I exclaim into my cell as I move to the side of the walkway and out of the way. "Please tell me this is a joke."
"I spoke to Liam and we decided that it would be good for both of you to clear the air. You'll spend a lot of time with each other in the week that we're away for the wedding so it's the perfect opportunity to talk things through."
"We have nothing to talk about."
"Then enjoy trying delicious cakes in silence. Besides, I did the right thing and gave you a heads up this time."
"Thanks, Soph, for all of the two minutes warning you gave me. You and Liam are the best." I answer sarcastically with an exasperated sigh.
"Awww, you're welcome. We are the best." She gives a snort-laugh on the other end of the line. "Have fun and I expect a play-by-play later. Gotta go, love you. Bye."
She ends the call before I get a chance to vent my irritation. Placing my cell back into my bag, I look upwards. Not even the beautiful blue sky and warm sunshine can suppress the storm I'm feeling inside. Glancing to my right, the big sign that says 'CAKE' in the distance tells me how close I am to my destination. How close I am to Ethan. The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach reveals my nerves.
Turning my head to the left, I contemplate running in the direction I came from; away from him and back to the safety of my restaurant. I try to think of an excuse; I could have also gotten caught up at work, fallen through a sidewalk grate on my way, or been hit by a car as I crossed the road.
I exhale a long breath, my resolve wavering. No one would believe that I'd miss the chance to eat cake, especially Ethan. Not even being hit by a car would stop me. He would see right through any excuse and assume that I couldn't handle being alone with him. He would be right, given how appealing an injury sounds right now, but I refuse to have him know this. I can act as though it's completely normal to be hanging out with an ex-boyfriend. I can be the bigger person and remain civil despite everything. Most importantly, I need to do this for Liam and Sophie.
I can do this.
My head says go but my legs refuse to obey. My broken heart lies at the center of this silent standoff. Individuals who walk past me are oblivious to the inner turmoil I'm experiencing. I shake my head in an attempt to rid myself of this conflict. Thirty minutes maximum. That's how long this torture will last. I mean, realistically how many words can be spoken over mouthfuls of delicious cake? Think of the cake, Charlotte.
It is with the distraction of sweet treats that I manage to drag myself towards the shop. The beautiful sight of a white cake in the window signals my arrival. I'm in awe of the delicate golden flowers which cascade down the side of the four-tiers; the golden accents add to its elegance. My smile drops when I look past the cake and see Ethan seated in the back corner of the busy shop. His forearms rest on the small table before him and he frowns at the cell in his hands. With my heart thumping in my chest, I push the door open and enter. The tantalizing scent of freshly baked goods overwhelms my senses.
"Hey."
Catching him off guard, he looks up to me with his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Hi," he replies with a half-smile, regaining his composure. He wasn't expecting me to walk through those doors.
A moment of awkwardness follows as we both decide what the appropriate greeting should be. Deciding that no physical contact is best, I slide into the seat across from him. "Sorry, I'm late," My gaze shifts from those gorgeous grey eyes to my tote as I place it on the table beside me. When I look back to Ethan, his attention is on my neckline. I watch as his gaze travels down my long-sleeved black shirt to where it is tucked into my dark grey midi skirt. My breath hitches at the heat in his eyes when they finally reach mine.
"It's fine, Sophie hasn't arrived yet either." His sleek navy suit jacket moves with the casual shrug he gives. The hoarseness in his voice shows that nothing about this interaction is casual.
Clearing my throat, I put all my effort into maintaining an even tone. "Sophie's not coming. There's a breaking news story and apparently, she can't get away." I give him what I hope is a 'your presence has no effect on me' smile but the way he pins me with his stare tells me he sees right through me.
"Interesting," he says after a second of quiet contemplation. "Liam asked me to step in for him because he got caught up in a meeting."
I narrow my eyes at him, "of course he did."
"There's no meeting or breaking news story, is there?" Ethan states when he recognizes that Liam and Sophies' disappearing act isn't a coincidence.
"Nope," I shake my head and attempt to appear relaxed when in reality this intensity between us has me feeling the opposite.
Ethan raises one eyebrow and gives me an enigmatic grin. "They're obviously up to something."
"Aren't they always?" I respond with a smile of my own.
Ethan's deep laughter catches me off guard. I feel my smile widen in response. It's been an eternity since I've heard that sound and I realize how much I've missed it.
"Absolutely. Liam threatened to kill me if I screwed up the cake flavor but I promised I would do my best." He pauses and raises his eyebrow suggestively, "are you up for the challenge, Charlotte?"
The mischievous glint in those grey eyes tells me he's not just referring to cake. Ethan leans forward in his chair, placing his left arm on the wooden table while holding his face with his right hand. His full lips press together in a smug smile while his eyes are fixed on me. This is the man who tested my patience, my sanity, and my belief in love. He was the greatest challenge of my life; one that I'm not willing to take on and fail again.
Deciding to keep my thoughts to myself, I give him an innocent smile. "When is eating cake ever a challenge?"
"You're right. We've always been good at eating cake."
"Amongst other things," I respond with a giggle.
I watch as Ethan's normally light eyes darken in response to my words. My own eyes widen when I comprehend how my words may be interpreted. Damn. Don't do it, Charlotte. Do not think about sex with Ethan. Don't think about the way he moved his hips, the way he gripped my hair, the way he bit the curve of my neck. My non-thoughts prompt a hot flush that spreads from my core throughout my body. I swallow hard.
Instead of clearing the air; I've gone ahead and filled it with tension. Sexual tension.
I'm in big trouble.
Thank you for reading The Ex: Chapter twelve!
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