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He had proven that over and over again.
I needed to remember that.
And needed to focus on making sure the debt got paid so I could go back to my life.
The waitress returned the credit card, and I signed the bill and left a nice tip. I wanted to linger but decided there was no reason to put off the inevitable.
So I stood, adjusted my blazer, and headed toward the door.
“Kayla? Kayla Dutton?”
I’d made it two steps before I stopped and turned at the sound of my name, sure that I was mistaken about the source of the voice.
“Todd Gail?” I blinked and stared at the man who was approaching me.
Smiled despite myself.
“I thought that was you,” Todd said.
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that was so familiar to me. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, he pulled me into a strong embrace.
I hugged him back for a moment and then stepped back and looked up at him.
Todd was tall, though not quite as tall as Elias.
I frowned at the thought of Elias intruding on this moment, much as he had the rest of my life, but quickly fixed my face into a smile.
“Funny seeing you here. This doesn’t seem like the type of place,” I said, gesturing at the elegantly decorated French bistro. It somehow managed to look both timeless and modern, and a meal here was about half a semester’s tuition at state college.
That was probably why Vahe had chosen it.
I pushed thoughts of Vahe aside and refocused on Todd.
I couldn’t help but think back to my freshman year of high school. He’d been new to the city and my school, and after one look, I’d been in love. He’d eventually returned the feeling, and we’d become inseparable.
Until life—and Elias—intervened.
Todd smiled. “I know it’s not chili dogs and onion rings, but I’ve grown up a little bit,” he said.
I nodded approvingly at the tailored navy-blue suit he wore. The blue brought out the rich tone of his brown skin and was cut to perfection, showing off his lean yet strong build and the broadness of his shoulders. “You have.”
He tugged on his own blazer. “Yeah. I even own more than one tie, and none of them are clip-ons,” he said.
I smiled even brighter, finding that hard to believe.
“I remember when it was all I could do to get you into a collared shirt,” I said.
He shrugged. “What can I say? You gotta dress for the part, right?”
“And what part is that?” I asked, meeting his eyes.
His smile dropped slightly, then he nodded toward his table. “I’ve finished my meal, but do you want to grab a drink and catch up?”
Before I could answer, my phone started to buzz.
I didn’t look at it because I knew exactly who it was.
Didn’t miss a beat before I made my decision.
