Bree

Thank God it was so busy at the coffeehouse.

I never expected to see Drew ever again, let alone here.

I thought he was away, serving in the Navy. That’s what Aunt Lilly told me.

Knowing our past, I couldn’t imagine her not saying something to me about him being home.

Ten years had passed since I last saw him.

And, the last time that I was in his presence I had my heart broken in every way possible.

I was eighteen and completely in love with him. He was my first in everything, and if anyone had ever told me that ten years would pass and I would have to live all those years without him I wouldn’t have believed them.

But, my father drove us apart. He took me away from here, and away from Drew, forbidding me to return.

I loved my father with all my soul but I would always remember that night.

It would always be a scar on my soul.

He found out I was seeing Drew and went crazy because he was the one boy I was supposed to stay away from.

I was devastated when we left because I thought Drew loved me. However, the years apart, with no contact and no attempts on his part to find me proved me wrong.

I didn’t blame him. Not anymore. We were both young and with his good looks I was certain that he’d replaced me in no time.

I couldn’t help myself now though.

As I sat around the table in the booth and watched him joking around and laughing with his friends I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

Maybe it was shock, or wonder. Or both.

I really wished I knew he was back it would have given me the chance to prepare, factor in seeing him or maybe even rethink this whole trip of mine.

I was sitting in the middle of the coffeehouse near the sofa area I remembered them using for jazz night and poetry readings.

He was on the other side over by the longer tables with the bar stools.

That was where we used to hang out when I lived here. We liked the open space and the stools. The owners back then used to reserve the table by the window for us.

They thought we were a cute couple and they were probably the only people to see my relationship blossom with Drew because this was where we used to come for all our dates. It was the only place that was far enough away from my father’s office, and most people we knew. Somewhere we could just be a girl and a guy who loved each other.

Drew looked the same, more muscle though that was more toned. And there was an air of maturity about him.

My eyes ran over his tall, lean, muscular frame that was very pronounced against the tight white t- short he wore and the dark colored jeans showed of the athletic definition in his legs. His skin looked tanned and had a sun kissed glow that made his dark hair look more striking.

I was wrong, he didn’t look the same. He looked better.

There was something though that resembled the boy I used to know. Something that came from within that I recognized even from here.

Something that reminded me of what I loved about him, and it brought back memories both good and bad.

When a tall, beautiful blonde woman rushed up to his side and kissed him on his cheek my own cheeks burned with an emotion I shouldn’t have.

Jealousy. It was laughable.

How could I feel jealous when he wasn’t mine?

I needed to go. I stood up quickly, too quickly and I wasn’t looking where I was going.

And, it was too late to stop myself from crashing into the waitress who’d been coming up behind me.

The tray she carried fell to the ground and the cups smashed along with the dark coffee that splashed on the ground.

Shit.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized rushing to her side to help. My concern was that the coffee might have burned her or any of the other people nearby.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.” She was kind enough to say. She looked to be in her mid to late fifties, same age as my aunt.

“I can help,” I insisted.

“Don’t be silly. It was an accident.” She looked up and smiled showing me that it really was no big deal.

I’d forgotten how nice people were here.

When my dad was alive he used to say, “God’s merciful Providence was great for the sights but especially for the people.” He was definitely right about that.

Another waitress carrying a mop and cleaning towels came over to join them. She too looked like it was no trouble at all.

“Thanks, I am sorry.” I apologized again.

I turned to go but froze when I saw Drew looking at me. At first, he looked at me as if he was trying to figure me out. When he saw my face, recognition formed in his expression and I saw his sea-green eyes widen.

In that moment my pulse quickened and I felt something I never expected to feel ever again for him. It was a warmness that surrounded my heart.

As I looked at him something inside my heart woke up, as if it had been asleep for ten years and had suddenly received a blast of life.

I shouldn’t have felt like that.

Not anymore.

Not for him.

I thought I’d abandoned those feelings long ago.

The feeling literally terrified me and I panicked when I saw him take a step towards me. It made me move and I found myself rushing away in the other direction, towards the door.

I really wished that someone had told me he was back.

I wouldn’t have prepared myself to see him, no.

Thinking about it now, and feeling the way I did. What I would have done is abandoned this trip altogether.

Because the truth was, I didn’t think I could handle seeing Drew ever again.

Even against the undeniable fact that at one point, he’d been the love of my life.