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His face brightened—again, nothing dramatic. Any change in him happened gradually and was barely noticeable. “Sure. Lead the way.”
We got up and he gestured with his hand to let me walk in front of him.
“There’sacoffee place Ilike around the corner. We could sit there,” Itold him on the way out.
“No problem,” he agreed immediately.
Susan winked at me as Iwalked by her and Ioffered her an awkward smile back, not daring to look behind at Thomas’sexpression, truly hoping he missed that.
The rest of the walk was passed in acomfortable silence as he slowed his large steps to match my shorter ones, until we reached the coffee shop.
“How do you drink your coffee?” he asked as we entered the place.
“That’sokay, Ican buy my own.” Iwas already pulling my purse out of my bag.
“No, Iinsist.” Thomas added with ahint of humor in his voice when he noticed my deepening frown, “Next one’son you, okay?”
“Okay, fine. I’dlike alatte with lots of sugar.” Ismiled back and found us acorner booth where the details of the ugly conversation of yesterday wouldn’tbe overheard.
Thomas returned with the hot drinks, the steam billowing from the wide white mugs. He sat on the other side of the booth and waited for me to start.
“Okay, so here goes.” Isipped from my coffee, staring at my legs, hoping to maintain my composure and not cry. “My ex, Greg, called before you walked in. Ibroke up with him last week, after three years. He didn’tcare about me, not really, but he wanted us to get back together. Itold him politely that my no was final and he snapped. Started screaming at me, telling me what aloser Iam, that Ihad no future with mycrappyprofession.”
Thomas stayed quiet and offered me atissue from the table. Ihadn’trealized I’dbeen crying up until then.
“He said my father was right about me.” Isobbed. “Said I’mboring, that all Iwas was hot and now not even that. Eventually Ihung up, I—Irefused to let him hear me cry. That’sit.”
When Ifinished, my face crumpled and Icollapsed into myself, hiding behind my hands. “See? Humiliating.”
“Erin,” he said my name cautiously, asking instead of demanding.
Ilowered my palms and looked at him.
“He’sajerk.” Thomas’seyes clouded over and his nostrils flared.
“What?” Shock penetrated through the cautious wall Ihad built around me.
“If anyone should be embarrassed or humiliated, it’shim for acting like ajerk.” His grip on his mug tightened so much Ifeared it would break.
“You’re taking my side?” More shock spiked with,What is going on here?
Thomas sighed, closed his eyes, and placed the mug on the table. “It’snot about sides. It’sabout human decency. And now I’meven more sorry about how Iacted.”
“Thomas, Imight’ve not liked you yelling at me, that’strue.” Itook adeep breath and wiped off the remainder of the tears. “You couldn’thave known though, and honestly, Iwas the one who started all of this mess.”
“Okay,” he conceded, letting go of his mug and scratching his beard.
Itore open apacket of sugar when more silence ensued, having afeeling I’dneed to be consoled by more sweetness.
“And what was that about your dad?”
Iwas right. “Greg mentioned him, yeah.” My eyelids gave in, and Itook adrink from my sweetened latte.
“Once you talk about them, their power is gone.” Thomas surprised me, for the hundredth time. He didn’tpush me to talk or act overly friendly to where Imight think he was faking it. He was just there, offering help.
Igave him an out anyway, in case Imisread him and he was being polite. “You sure? It’salong story.”
“Does it look like I’maperson who’sfaking it or not sure of what he says?” He spared me another one of his rare smiles, given our interactions.
