Sweetest Collision

A Tangled Web (5)

The café was bustling with its usual morning crowd when Michael Hayes walked in. This time, however, he wasn't alone. A tall, elegant woman with perfectly styled hair and an air of sophistication accompanied him. Claire noticed them immediately, a pang of something she couldn't quite identify twisting in her chest. Jealousy? Annoyance? She pushed the feelings aside and focused on the task at hand.

"Michael, you didn't tell me this place was so charming," the woman said, her voice warm and melodic.

Michael nodded, scanning the room until his eyes landed on Claire. "It's a nice place," he agreed, though his tone lacked enthusiasm.

Claire turned away quickly, pretending not to notice. She busied herself with a group of students at the counter, deliberately avoiding looking in Michael's direction. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him, especially not when he had brought someone else into her sanctuary.

"Can I get you something?" her coworker, Emily, asked the pair as they settled into Michael's usual spot by the window.

"Two black coffees, please," the woman replied with a smile.

Michael's gaze lingered on Claire, who was still focused intently on the students. He felt a strange sense of disappointment at her avoidance. He had hoped to introduce Claire to his companion, but her cold shoulder made it clear she had no interest.

As Emily prepared their coffees, Michael leaned back in his chair, trying to engage his companion in conversation. Claire continued to dart around the café, refilling cups and taking orders, but she never once glanced in their direction.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked, noticing his distraction.

"Fine," Michael replied, forcing a smile. "Just a bit preoccupied."

Emily brought their coffees over, setting them down with a polite nod. "Enjoy," she said, glancing curiously at Michael.

"Thank you," the woman said, taking a sip. "So, Michael, what's new at work?"

Michael launched into a discussion about his latest project, but his mind kept drifting back to Claire. He had grown accustomed to their daily interactions, and her absence left a noticeable void. He hadn't realized how much he had come to look forward to their banter and her warm smile.

The woman listened attentively, nodding in all the right places, but Michael's heart wasn't in it. His eyes kept straying to Claire, who seemed determined to stay as far away from him as possible. When she finally disappeared into the kitchen, he felt a strange sense of relief mixed with frustration.

After an hour, the woman checked her watch and sighed. "I have to get going, Michael. It was lovely catching up."

"Of course," Michael said, standing to escort her to the door. "Thank you for coming."

As the woman left, Michael returned to his seat, staring into his coffee. Claire emerged from the kitchen, her expression unreadable. She finally approached his table, arms crossed.

"Everything alright, Michael?" she asked, her voice cool.

"Fine," he replied, looking up at her. "Who was that?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.

"An old friend," Michael said, his tone dismissive. "Nothing important."

Claire nodded, but her eyes betrayed her confusion. "Why didn't you want to serve me today?" Michael asked, a hint of hurt in his voice.

Claire sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Michael. Maybe I just needed a break from you."

His expression softened. "Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not that. I just... I needed some space. You come in here every day, and it's like... I don't know how to explain it."

"Try," he said quietly.

Claire took a deep breath. "It's like you've become a part of my routine, and when you brought someone else here, it threw me off. I know it sounds stupid, but I guess I didn't expect it."

Michael stared at her, a mixture of surprise and understanding dawning on his face. "Claire, you know this place is important to me. You're important to me."

She blinked, taken aback by his honesty. "I didn't realize..."

"I'm trying to be better," he continued. "And a lot of that is because of you."

Claire's heart ached at his words, but she couldn't shake the feeling of insecurity that had taken root. "I just need some time, Michael. To sort through all this."

He nodded, standing up. "Take all the time you need, Claire. I'm not going anywhere."

As he left the café, Claire watched him go, her emotions a tangled mess. She appreciated his honesty, but she also needed to figure out where they stood. For now, she would give him the space he needed and hope that they could find their way back to the tentative friendship they had started to build.