Yours Truly

Unlocked

As we sat on the bench, I found myself looking away every time Jay tried to hold eye contact. There was something about his gaze—it wasn't invasive, but it was deep. Soul-searching deep. And honestly? That was too much for me right now.

Still, nothing about the moment felt forced. The silence between us was actually... comfortable. After a few seconds, I finally spoke up.

Me: "You asked me why I've closed the door to love even though I'm over my last situation, right?"

Jay: "Yeah..."

He turned slightly, angling his body toward me, giving me his full attention.

Me: "Well, if I'm being real with you... closing that door is how I protect my heart. I used to be this hopeless romantic with her heart stitched to her sleeve. But love hurt me. I'd rather not go through that again."

Jay: "I get the need for protection. But let me ask you this—do you still want children one day?"

Me: "I do."

Jay: "So... how do you plan to make that happen if you're emotionally closed off?"

I laughed nervously and shook my head.

Me: "I can't believe I'm telling you this. But... I'm comfortable."

Jay: "That's good to hear."

Me: "Well... I've decided I'm going to have a child through IVF. Raise the baby on my own."

He nodded slowly, clearly choosing his words carefully.

Jay: "This topic can get deep quick, but I'm not here to dissect your decision. I respect your honesty, for real."

Me: "Thank you. Every time I bring it up, people look at me crazy. Like it's some wild idea. Meanwhile, folks out here making reckless choices daily with no judgment. But this? This is my plan."

Jay: "I hear you. Really. But I'll say this—expect the unexpected. I still think, deep down, you want real love. You just have to let yourself fully heal."

Me: "So what exactly are you trying to say?"

Jay: "I said what I said."

I narrowed my eyes at him, but he just smiled like he knew something I didn't. I shifted gears.

Me: "So... was there any other reason you moved back home after your relationship ended?"

Jay: "Honestly? I came back to regroup, heal, and find myself again. And then... I just knew I needed to stay."

Me: "Do you miss New York?"

Jay: "Yeah, I do. I miss my people. The networking scene there is unmatched. Everything flows smoother. Down here... man, people make things harder than they need to be."

Me: "Whew, I feel that. Florida doesn't really give teamwork energy. I do hair, and the women here? Too catty. That's why I prefer to travel instead of renting a booth."

He rubbed his hands together and grinned.

Jay: "Well... I do have an open booth at my shop. No drama. No cattiness. Just good vibes."

I gave him the side-eye and laughed.

Me: "Boy, stop. I am not fooling with your open booth. You play too much."

Jay: "I'm serious. It's open. Let me know."

I turned my head, thinking about it for a second. But nahhh. That could never work. Us in the same space? Too much. I looked back at him.

Me: "I appreciate the offer, truly. But I'm sticking with traveling for now."

Just then, his phone started ringing. He held up a finger and answered.

I glanced down at my watch. The time had gotten away from me. It was probably time to head out anyway.

Jay (after ending the call): "Sorry about that. That was my son. He's reminding me about this science project we have to finish."

Me: "No worries at all. This was nice, but you've got things to take care of. Go be Super Dad."

He stood up and reached for my hand. I hesitated... just for a moment.

He noticed.

Jay: "I promise I don't bite..."

I gave him my hand, and the moment our skin touched, I regretted it. Not because it felt wrong—but because it felt too right.

Jay: "Thank you for your time and your honesty. It was good catching up. Hopefully, this isn't the last time. If you're open to that."

I shifted on my feet, suddenly aware that my hands were getting sweaty. I stumbled through my response.

Me: "I... I don't know. Maybe. Let's see if our schedules line up."

Jay: "Fair enough. No pressure. Just know I enjoyed today."

He let my hand go slowly but kept holding eye contact. I wanted to look away—but couldn't. There was something intense in his eyes. A mystery I wasn't sure I was ready to solve. But it was pulling me in.

Just then, a kid on roller skates zipped by and bumped into me. Normally, I would've been annoyed—but not today. Today, it was a much-needed escape from the spell Jay's eyes had me under.

Me: "I did enjoy today. I'll let you know when I'm free. Good luck with the science project."

I smiled.

Jay: "Oh, you got jokes now?"

Me: "Who, me? 🤭 Neverrrr."

Jay: "Alright. Drive safe. Let me know when you make it home."

Me: "Will do. You too."

We walked off in separate directions. When I got into my car, I picked up my phone.

No notifications.

Weird.

My phone usually stays going off. It was almost like the world went quiet just so I could have that moment with him—without interruption.

As my car warmed up, I sat there processing everything:

The conversation.
The connection.
The way he looked at me.
The way he saw me.

It felt like he had figured out the combination to my lock.

And now?

Now my stomach was full of butterflies.

And that... that wasn't supposed to happen.

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