Patience Heart

Shaken Heart

As I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air of the hallway hitting my face, I froze. Adam was standing there, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed casually, as if waiting for someone. For me. The sight of him caught me off guard, and I could feel my heart pick up its pace again, the temporary calm I had just managed to gather evaporating in an instant.

His eyes found mine the moment I emerged, and for a second, neither of us spoke. The silence felt heavy, loaded with unspoken words and emotions that neither of us had the courage to confront.

"You okay?" Adam's voice was low, almost concerned, but I could hear the hint of something else beneath it. The familiar scent of cigarette smoke clung to him, mixing with something deeper, something undeniably him. And to my surprise, instead of repelling me, that smell stirred something inside. A rush of memories, of moments when his presence was my only comfort.

"I'm fine," I replied quickly, my voice a little sharper than I intended. I didn't want him to see how much his presence was affecting me, how hard I was working to keep my emotions under control. But as I tried to move past him, to escape the charged atmosphere between us, he reached out.

His hand wrapped around mine, and I stopped dead in my tracks. The warmth of his skin against mine sent a shiver down my spine, and I had to suppress the gasp that nearly escaped my lips. Damn it. My body was betraying me, reacting to his touch in a way that made my head spin.

I turned slowly, eyes wide, staring at his hand still gripping mine. His touch was firm, but not forceful, almost as if he were testing the boundaries, seeing how far he could push before I pulled away.

"Adam," I started, trying to keep my voice steady, but it came out shaky. "What are you—"

Before I could finish, he pulled me closer, gently but deliberately, closing the small distance that had separated us. My breath hitched as our bodies nearly brushed against each other, the proximity sending my heart into overdrive. I could feel the heat radiating from him, and it was maddening.

Our faces were so close now, I could see every detail, every line that had changed over the years. His familiar scent, laced with the sharp tang of smoke, filled the air between us, intoxicating and overwhelming.

I swallowed hard, my mind screaming at me to move, to break free from his hold, but my body refused to cooperate. It was like my muscles had turned to stone, locked in place by the intensity of the moment. And worse, I could feel my pulse quicken in response to the undeniable chemistry that was sparking between us.

"Adam, let go," I whispered, though even I wasn't sure if I meant it.

He didn't. His grip stayed steady, his eyes dark and unreadable as they locked onto mine. For a moment, it was as if time itself had stopped. I could hear my heartbeat, loud and insistent, the only sound cutting through the charged silence between us.

"Are you really fine?" he asked, his voice barely above a murmur, but it sent a shiver through me.

The question hung in the air, and I knew he wasn't just asking about the meeting. He was asking about us, about everything that had been left unsaid between us. But I wasn't ready for that. Not now. Maybe not ever.

"I said I'm fine," I managed to get out, though it felt like a lie even as the words left my lips.

He studied me for a moment longer, and I could feel the weight of his gaze, searching, probing, as if he was trying to see past the facade I was putting up. And I hated that he could still do that—still make me feel exposed and vulnerable with just a look.

But then, almost as suddenly as he'd grabbed me, he released my hand. The absence of his touch left a strange, empty feeling in its wake, and I took an involuntary step back, needing the distance to breathe again.

For a moment, neither of us moved. It was as if the air around us was thick with the tension we couldn't ignore but didn't want to acknowledge. I could still feel the lingering warmth of his fingers on my skin, the echo of the moment hanging between us like an unfinished sentence.

"Take care, Viola," he said, his voice softer now, almost tender. The use of my real name caught me off guard. Ellen Turner had been my shield, my new identity, but here he was, breaking through that with just a word.

Before I could respond, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, still trying to catch my breath. I watched him go, the familiar yet distant figure moving further from me, yet somehow feeling closer than ever.

And as I stood there, heart racing, mind swirling with emotions I didn't want to confront, I realized that this was far from over. Adam wasn't just a part of my past. He was still here, still lingering in the present. And no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise, the pull between us was undeniable.

But was I ready to face that?

Back then, Adam's presence had never stirred up this kind of madness inside me. Sure, there had been moments when he made my heart race, when just a smile or a glance from him had me feeling things I couldn't explain. But now? This was something else—deeper, more intense, and it was throwing me completely off balance. What the hell was going on?

I tried to calm myself as I headed back toward the smoking area. The tension in my body was palpable, my hands trembling slightly at my sides. The farther I got from Adam, the more confused I became. Every step brought a new flood of emotions—annoyance, curiosity, frustration, and something dangerously close to longing.

I spotted Richard, leaning casually against the garden wall, still smoking his cigarette. He looked relaxed, unwinding after the intense presentation, but the moment he saw me, his brows furrowed in concern. He could probably tell something was off, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead, he just waited as I approached, taking a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it into the ashtray nearby.

"Ellie," he called out, a friendly smile on his face, "you good?"

I forced a smile and nodded, hoping to appear composed. "Yeah, just needed a breather," I replied, my voice betraying none of the chaos whirling inside me.

Richard, ever the perceptive one, cocked his head, sensing that something wasn't right. "You sure you're okay? You look a bit... shaken."

I glanced over my shoulder toward the direction Adam had gone. His figure was nowhere to be seen, but his presence lingered like a ghost in the back of my mind, haunting me with questions I didn't want to answer. "It's nothing," I said, turning back to Richard. "Just... a lot going on."

"Tell me about it," he laughed, completely unaware. "Board meetings are stressful enough without any extra drama."

Drama. If only he knew the half of it.

"Ellie?" Richard's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

I blinked, shaking my head slightly. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you're coming back inside. We should probably debrief before we head out," he said, flicking his cigarette away and stretching his arms.

I hesitated, glancing one last time toward the building where Adam had disappeared. "Yeah," I said finally, nodding. "Let's go."

As we headed back inside, I couldn't help but wonder if Adam was still somewhere nearby, watching, waiting. And more than that, I couldn't help but wonder if this was just the beginning of something I wasn't sure I was ready to handle.

The past had a funny way of catching up with you, no matter how fast you tried to run. And Adam, it seemed, wasn't done catching up with me yet.