BE MY OBSESSION

CHAPTER 39

•SHELBY•

I pushed the door open and strolled in, the bell hanging above the entrance chimed, causing a few heads to swivel in my direction, especially those seated near the door.

I let the door gently swing shut behind me and swept my gaze around the room, searching for him.

It didn't take me long to spot his familiar brown hair at the table in the farthest corner of the coffee shop. He wore a black shirt paired with matching black suit pants.

A smile slowly curved my lips as I laid eyes on him. Michael and I had lost touch when news of my fake engagement with William hit the gossip circuit.

I get why he backed off. We were never exclusive to begin with, so no hard feelings lingered. We enjoyed each other's company, and we were friends before adding the extra benefits, so I assumed he was cool about it.

I headed straight for his table, and his head snapped up as he noticed me.

"Hey," he greeted with a grin, rising to give me a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

I took the empty seat across from him, his smile warming me as we settled in.

"Looking good, by the way," he complimented, making a blush creep up on my cheeks.

"Thanks, and the same goes for you. What's with the new stubble?" I gestured playfully towards his face, and he chuckled.

"Trying out a new look, and it seems to be getting positive feedback."

I nodded with a grin. "It suits you. Keep it."

"You think so?" I detected a hint of flirtation in his tone and met his gaze.

"Yeah."

Our eyes locked, only breaking when the waitress arrived with an espresso for me.

"I took the liberty of ordering for you. Hope that's cool," he quickly informed me.

"Oh, absolutely. Thanks."

I took a sip, relishing the warmth that spread through me along with the rich taste.

"So, how've you been?" He asked with genuine curiosity, and I focused on him.

I honestly didn't know how to answer. Was he in the loop about the news, or was he just making conversation, checking if I'm okay?

"I'm hanging in there. Life's been a whirlwind lately, but all's good."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I heard about what happened. The engagement, I mean."

So, he did hear about it. Of course, practically everyone knows about the supposed breakup between William and me, even though we were never actually a couple. But that's a secret.

I placed the cup down, gaze drifting to the table.

"Yeah, that didn't work out." I forced a laugh, feeling his sympathetic gaze on me.

Our conversation shifted to other topics as we caught up on each other's lives.

The jingle of the door caught my attention mid-laugh, and I glanced over just as the laughter caught in my throat.

William and Sidney.

My body tensed, hand gripping my cup, heart picking up its pace.

They walked in together, an unexpected encounter. It had only been a week since I last saw or spoke to William, and now seeing him ignited a flutter of excitement, mixed with unease.

"You okay?" Michael's voice snapped me back to reality, and I refocused on him.

"Yeah, I'm good. What were you saying?"

He continued his story, but my attention kept straying to them. Why were they here together? Just catching up, like he mentioned?

I inwardly scolded my own twinge of jealousy. After all, I was the one who turned down his feelings. But did he mean what he said? Did he genuinely love me? Then what was he doing with his ex-fiancée?

They stood at the counter, chatting with the barista. I watched as William's gaze roved the room, landing on me.

Our eyes locked, and a stillness swept over him. I couldn't look away either. With Michael across from me, his back turned, he remained oblivious.

William's gaze shifted to Michael, and I caught the faint clench of his jaw as his eyes narrowed on me.

Sidney turned toward him, her hand on his forearm, her smile bright. A surge of discomfort made me grip the edge of my seat.

"Do you really think I should go for it?" Michael's question reached me, but I struggled to recall the topic.

"Uh... yeah, that sounds good. Go for it."

His expression fell, surprised by my agreement. Did I mess up?

He managed an awkward chuckle. "Oh, um, didn't expect you to say that."

"No, I mean... I didn't mean to—" I stammered, trying to correct my mistake.

"Hey, Shelly."

Both of us looked up at the voice. William and Sidney stood by our table, his lips stretched into a tight smile.

"William... hey," I managed, glancing at Sidney, whose hand now wrapped possessively around his arm.

Incredibly territorial.

"We've crossed paths before, right?" William asked Michael, who looked utterly bewildered by their sudden appearance. Understandable, given the awkwardness.

"I'm Michael Forrester. William Fontane , right?" William responded confidently, earning an inward smile from me.

"That's correct," William said, then turned his gaze back to me.

"By the way, you left some stuff at the house. If you're free tomorrow, you can swing by to pick them up."

His tone was firm, yet the hope flickering in his eyes wasn't lost on me. He wanted another chance, another talk, clearly.

Part of me wanted to, but the other part screamed no. It's too soon. I'm still figuring things out. I can't see him now.

"Can't you have Petro deliver them to my place?"

"Petro and the staff are on vacation. Gave them time off after you moved out."

"Then let James drop them at my office."

"James is swamped these days. Wouldn't want to burden my assistant."

Annoyance crept into my expression.

"Fine, I'll let Adam pick them up."

"They're personal items. You want a grown man handling them for you?"

His question lingered, thickening the already tense atmosphere.

He wasn't letting me win. The triumphant glint in his eyes was evident.

"Our order's ready," Sidney announced, breaking a long silence. I shot her a glare as she tugged his arm, signaling to leave.

Back in my seat, I sighed in defeat, crossing my arms.

"Fine, I'll pick them up myself."

A smirk curved his lips, hands slipping into his dress pants.

"See you tomorrow then."

They grabbed their coffee and headed out, William holding the door for her.

Before he left, his eyes flicked to me, shooting me a quick wink.

"Same old arrogance," Michael muttered, and I scoffed.

"Tell me about it."