Chapter 265: Of All People, It Had to Be Her

Damien was quiet for a moment. "Then I’ll figure something else out."

My stomach tightened. "What if they make you leave Hawthorne if your parents keep refusing to pay for anything that concerns you?"

"They won’t."

"You can’t know that."

"I know I’m not leaving."

I looked at him. He sounded so certain. And somehow that certainty hurt more. Because I wasn’t sure anymore. Damien stepped over and took my hand.

I let him. But there was a tiny pause. Just half a second. Still, he noticed. His fingers lingered around mine. His gaze turned to my face.

I quickly smiled, the expression feeling thin even to me. "Sorry. My brain’s just being a fucking dumbass again."

He didn’t smile back right away. Instead, his thumb brushed over my knuckles, slow and deliberate. "You’re doing that again."

"Doing what?"

"Thinking about something you don’t want to tell me."

I forced a laugh. "Maybe I’m just pondering how good your pancakes are."

"Oliver."

"I’m serious. These things are great."

"Oliver."

I sighed, the fight draining out of me. "I’m just tired, Damien, that’s all."

He studied me for another long moment before finally nodding.

"Okay." But his tone told me he didn’t believe me.

I left for class shortly after. Damien walked me to the door even though I insisted I could handle the thirty-second trek to the elevator on my own.

He leaned against the doorframe casually, looking way too put-together for someone who had just woken up as he looked down at me.

"You have work later today, right?" he said.

"Yes."

"Call me when you’re done."

"I will."

"And don’t skip dinner."

I looked at him. "You’re becoming a grandma now, not a dad or a mom anymore."

"Eat."

"Yes, Grandma."

He rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth lifted. I smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

For a brief moment, everything inside me screamed to hold onto him. Instead, I pulled away.

His blue eyes stayed on mine. "See you tonight."

"See you tonight."

The elevator doors closed between us. And as I watched his face disappear, that thought came back. If I weren’t here, would they stop?

I closed my eyes. "God, I fucking hate my brain."

A woman standing beside me glanced over. I smiled awkwardly. "Nothing."

She slowly edged away. Fair enough.

By the time I got to the bar that afternoon, I was worn out. Not physically.

Okay, maybe physically too. But mostly, it was that mental exhaustion where your thoughts have been racing around in circles all day without stopping for a breather.

The bar was bustling when I walked in, warm lights reflecting off the bottles behind the counter while music softly filled the air.

It was louder than Joy’s Café, rough around the edges, and full of people who seemed way more interested in drinks than overpriced coffee.

Honestly, I was starting to see the appeal. At least nobody asked me to spell their long as fuck name on a cup.

I was halfway through making a drink when I heard a familiar voice.

"OH MY GOD!"

I looked up. Joey stood at the end of the bar with his arms wide open. Next to him was Maya, laughing.

I nearly dropped the glass. "What are you two doing here?"

"Surprising you," Joey said, grinning like he’d been planning this for ages.

"You look terrible," Maya remarked.

"Wow thanks a lot, Maya."

"You’re welcome."

I stepped out from behind the counter and hugged her. Then Joey and he squeezed me so tightly I almost lost my breath. "C...careful. I need these ribs."

"I missed you too, man."

I grinned genuinely for the first time that day, feeling the weight in my chest lift just a bit. "What are you idiots doing here?"

"We wanted to check out your new job," Maya said, looking around with curiosity.

Joey looked about. "It’s very... grown-up."

"It’s a bar."

"Exactly."

I laughed, the sound coming more easily than it had all morning.

They took seats at the counter, and I went back behind it, already reaching for glasses.

"So?" Maya asked. "Do you like it here?"

"It’s...different."

"Better than the café?"

I hesitated, wiping the counter more thoroughly than necessary. "I don’t think anything will ever replace Joy’s."

Maya’s expression softened. "I miss you there."

"I miss you too."

"Bill still talks about you."

I groaned. "Oh no."

"He keeps comparing everyone to you."

Joey leaned forward, clearly delighted. "Seriously?"

Maya nodded. "Last week, one of the new employees messed up three orders, and Bill said, ’Oliver would never have done this.l!’"

I laughed. "Poor guy."

"Yesterday, someone broke a milk jug. And he was like ’Oliver would’ve caught that."

At least someone had acknowledged my amazing spiderman reflexes when it came to work.

I laughed even harder. "What have I done to this man?"

Maya grinned. "Apparently, you’ve ruined every employee that came after you."

Joey raised his glass. "To Oliver Reyes, the impossible standard."

I lifted mine, though it was just apple juice. "I’ll drink to that."

For the first time all day, my heart felt lighter, we chatted about classes, the café, Joey’s ridiculous cooking experiments that thankfully didn’t burn down any more dorms, and Maya’s latest gripes about campus.

Eventually, Joey started up a debate with Maya over whether the new bartender was cute, which quickly morphed into a discussion about Damien.

I should’ve seen it coming.

These assholes.

"So," Joey said, leaning over the bar, "how’s your boyfriend?"

I groaned. "He’s fine."

"Just fine?"

"Yes."

Maya smiled. "You say that like you’re not completely obsessed with him."

"I’m not obsessed! Shut up."

Joey snorted. "Come on. You look at him like he invented oxygen."

"I do not."

"You totally do."

Maya pointed at my necklace. "And what’s that?"

I touched the pendant automatically, its metal warm from my skin. "Damien gave it to me."

Maya’s eyebrows shot up. "Oh, here we go."

"What?"

"He couldn’t just leave hickies?"

I nearly choked. "Joey!"

Maya burst out laughing.

"I’m serious!" Joey pressed on. "The man decided hickies weren’t enough to brand you, so he got you a necklace with his initial awwn!"

I stared at both of them in horror. "You two are awful."

Maya wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "I’m just saying, it’s really romantic."

"It’s a necklace."

"It’s an expensive necklace," Joey countered.

I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Because Damien has the subtlety of a billionaire."

I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I’m secretly a hopeless romantic. Sue me."

Maya laughed.

For a little while, I let myself forget everything. I forgot the Lockwoods. I forgot about Damien’s laptop.

I forgot the job listings, I forgot that nagging voice in my head asking if his life would be easier without me.

I was just Oliver, bartender, friend. An idiot with a boyfriend necklace. It felt good.

Until my phone rang. I glanced down. Unknown number. I frowned. Probably just a spam call. I almost ignored it. But then it rang again.

Something about the number made my stomach churn like a bitch.

Because the last time an unknown number called when I was in the middle of something...it wasn’t exactly a great news.

"Uh...I’ll be right back," I told Joey and Maya.

I stepped through the back door into the alley. The noise from the bar faded behind me, replaced by the distant hum of traffic and the chill of the evening air.

I answered, bracing myself for whatever nonsense was about to come next.

"Hello?"

There was a brief silence. Then a woman’s voice came through the line.

It was cool, calm and not very unmistakable.

"Hello, Oliver."

My whole body went still. I recognized that voice.

My fingers tightened around the phone. The laughter from inside suddenly felt very far away.

"Remember me?" She questioned.

My stomach sank. Dianne, of all the people I didn’t want to hear from, she somehow managed to be the worst.