After the Heartbreak

Chapter 10 of Part II: In Good Company

(Gerald’s POV)

Weeks had passed since Megan and I first hung out at the movies, and somewhere along the way, I found myself getting used to her being around. It wasn’t a conscious decision—it just happened. The rhythm of my days off now usually involved a text from her, asking if I wanted to come by her restaurant to try some new dishes or inviting me over for a video game session at my place.

It was easy. Comfortable. And more importantly, it was fun.

Today was one of those days. We were at my apartment, controllers in hand, focused on a particularly challenging level in a co-op game. The room was filled with the sound of rapid button clicks and the occasional grumbling when one of us made a mistake.

“Gerald, seriously,” Megan groaned, her eyes glued to the screen, “we need to take out that guy on the left first. He’s the one with the most health.”

“I know,” I replied, trying to hide my frustration, “but if we don’t get rid of the other guy, he’s just going to flank us from behind.”

“Or,” she said with a grin, pausing to shoot a look my way, “you could stop being so tactical and just go full offense for once.”

I chuckled. “Not my style.”

We failed the level—again—and Megan leaned back with a sigh, tossing her controller onto the coffee table.

“Okay, that’s it. I’m calling it. We’re never going to beat this level today.”

I shook my head, amused. “Giving up already?”

“Not giving up,” she corrected, reaching for the glass of water on the table, “just taking a strategic break. There’s a difference.”

“Right,” I said with a smirk, turning off the game. “A ‘strategic’ break.”

Megan smiled as she sipped her water. This was what our time together had become—easy conversations, casual hangouts, and a lot of laughter. If someone had told me a few months ago that I’d be spending my days off with someone like Megan, I wouldn’t have believed them. Yet here we were, and I was starting to realize how much I enjoyed having her around.

And that’s what scared me.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like her—I did. More than I cared to admit. But the idea of ruining what we had by trying to push things further… it felt too risky. We had built a solid friendship, one that didn’t come with any of the usual complications or expectations. It was just us, hanging out, enjoying each other’s company.

“Hey,” Megan’s voice broke through my thoughts. “You okay?”

I blinked, realizing I had been quiet for a little too long. “Yeah, sorry. Just thinking.”

“About?”

I hesitated, not wanting to dive too deep into the confusing mess that was my thoughts. “Work, mostly. You know how it is.”

Megan nodded, though her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, as if she sensed there was more to it. But she didn’t press, and I was grateful for that.

“Well,” she said, standing up and stretching, “I should probably get going. I need to stop by the restaurant before heading home.”

I stood up as well, walking her to the door. “You sure you don’t want to stay for dinner? I was thinking of ordering takeout.”

Megan smiled, shaking her head. “Thanks, but I’ve got some stuff to take care of tonight. Rain check?”

“Yeah, sure. Rain check.”

As I watched her walk down the hallway and disappear around the corner, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were shifting between us. Maybe it was just in my head, but lately, it felt like there was something unspoken hanging in the air whenever we were together. A tension neither of us wanted to acknowledge.