Paper Trails 2 | Draft

43.

"Stories change. The people who tell them...they do not."

*****

It was safe to say that I was a little distracted when I walked into Cinna's Coffee Shop. I was almost ten minutes late, but Brandon still had a smile on his face when I walked in. Looking at him hurt. I fucked up. He stood as I approached him, looking as wonderful as always.

Everything was fucked up. I'm sure Monkey knows a shit load more about Nic was what he does than I do. If he agrees to a deal? They'll nail him. Nic would pay for his crimes. Brandon's lips pressed against mine for a second in greeting. I smiled softly and sat across from him.

"I ordered for you, I hope that's okay."

"That's fine."

His eyebrows furrowed at my tone. "You look bothered. What's wrong?"

"Hm? Nothing."

He leaned forward, eyes searching mine. "Something is."

"I cheated on you with Niccoló. Fucked him on his car right after you left." It was on the tip of my tongue. I could have said it. I should have said it. Instead, I forced a smile on my face and shook my head. "I promise, I'm okay."

He seemed unsure, but before he could press me for more, a waitress appeared and placed a mug of black coffee in front of me. Next to it, a coffee cake muffin. Op top of that, whipped cream. Shit. He was good. He didn't like coffee, and I knew without asking that he ordered a hot chocolate with extra marshmellows. My lips twitched when she handed him his mug and I saw little white marshmellows covering the top.

He was obsessed with that shit, like a kid.

"Sorry I didnt text back last night. I showered and went straight to sleep."

He smiled. "No worries. Did you have a good morning?"

If finding out that the feds have informants and are rapidly building a case against my ex constitues as good, then yeah. I had a great fucking morning.

I wouldn't worry about that either. I pushed it to the back of my mind.

"Yes."

"So I have alterior motives for wanting to see your beautiful face this morning."

He did that a lot. Compliment me. I didn't deserve it.

"And those motives are?" I raised the cup and sipped on the coffee.

He sent me a sheepish smile. "My...don't freak out. But, my parents would like to meet you."

I didn't respond, mostly because I didn't know how to. It felt quick. Sudden. Have we been dating long enough for that to become an option?

He quickly went on when he saw the unease in my face, "It's not a big deal. It's just a little trip to Vancouver. Two days."

"They know about me?"

"Well, yeah."

My mouth opened and closed, resembling a fish out of water. Slowly, I lowered the mug back down until the ceramic bottom hit the wood table. "They want to meet me?"

He frowned. "But you don't want to meet them."

"That's not--" I stopped myself. "It's just, doesn't it seem a bit...early?"