The Distance Between Us (Book Two ✓)

three

I wait patiently at the cracked blue countertop, feeling oddly out of place on the receiving end of the register. As the young girl struggles with the buttons in front of her, I resist the urge to reach over and show her how to get the old thing to work. Taking in the familiar scents and sights of Nadine's coffee shop, I try to ignore the butterflies swarming in my belly and distract myself with thoughts of something else, anything else.

I focus on the week I had at work, walking through each day as slowly as I can. Adam continued to be talkative and friendly, lining his lunch up with mine so we could chat, and stopping by the office with coffee anytime he made a trip to the break room. I'll have to pay him back somehow, maybe with pastry from here, someday. Shannon is also great, popping into the office at least once a day to make sure things are going well and making herself available for any questions I might have.

Everyone else, well, I think they might not like me so much. The two women that passed my office on Monday, Tori and Lizzie, seem to be pretty in the know about my past. I overheard Beau's song playing as I passed Tori's office on Tuesday, snickers accompanying the music into the hallway. Since then, I've kept my contact with the women pretty limited.

An older man, Jerry, mostly keeps to himself in one of the larger offices down the hall. Wren, in the office just beside mine, is older than Adam and me, but still young enough that we could be friends. Unfortunately, he eats lunch with Tori and Lizzie, so I haven't been able to talk to him much.

I take a seat at a table by the window and glance outside at the town square. Instead of seeing the grassy lawn, I remember looking out and seeing Beau, eyes closed, head tilted towards the sun, after spilling one coffee and getting another for free the very first day I met him.

All attitude and ripped denim, he didn't seem to have a genuine bone in his body. And yet, here I am. I sip my coffee slowly, still unsure how we ever ended up here. When the bells chime above the door, I force myself not to turn around, even as I hear his deep voice at the counter.

I smile to myself as the girl sputters over her words, flustered even though his order is quite simple - a black coffee, large, just like day one.

He has that effect on women, I should know, I think as I overhear the girl fumbling with the register again.

Tattooed knuckles wrap against the table quickly and I look up, breathless even after all this time. Again, I'm shocked at how much healthier Beau looks - eyes clearer and brighter against his dark eyeliner. But even more surprising is his hair. Instead of the normal overwhelming bed head, his head is shaved on the sides, leaving long hair at the top - long enough that it would cover the sides if he wore it down, pushed back by a black bandana.

"Hi," I breathe, noticing the new tattoos creeping up his neck.

"Hi," He repeats, pulling the chair out and taking his seat slowly. He smiles at me expectantly, his eyes in full view now that his hair isn't in them.

God, he's so handsome. I used to think his appearance was unconventional, but now, I can't imagine him any other way.

"You look different," Beau smirks. "Good different, obviously."

"So do you." I can't help but laugh. "Four years is a long time."

"It is," He agrees, looking me up and down without trying to hide it. My skin tingles wherever his eyes go, making me flush.

I thought today would be awkward, but the silence between us is anything but. Instead, my mind races with all of the things I want to tell him, all of the stories I want to share, the questions I want to ask. I open my mouth to speak, but close it again, uncertain where to even start. I'm nearly breathless once more when I realize how much I've truly missed him.