Chapter Twenty-Seven - No One Will Ever Compare
Chapter Twenty-Seven - No One Will Ever Compare
Peyton
The sound of my cell ringing interrupts my conversation with Gabe. I glance down and notice it is Kaitlyn calling. I answer it.
“Hey.”
“Hey, where are you? You’re never late. Are you still coming?” she laughs.
Wait, what time is it? I check my cell and realize I was supposed to meet them over an hour ago. I didn’t notice at all—I lost track of time. Gabe and I had been chatting and laughing, already on our third coffee.
“Oh God, I am so sorry. I will be there in ten minutes.”
“Where are you?” she asks.
“I will explain when I get there. I will see you soon.”
I can’t believe I missed the time. Kaitlyn is right—I am never late.
“I am sorry, but I need to go. I never realised how late it was. Kaitlyn and Anthony are waiting for me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you late. I didn’t realise you were running late. I was enjoying your company too much.”
I stand, gather my things, and put on my coat. “No, it's okay. Do you want to join us for lunch?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I should get home. I have some work to deal with.”
A wave of disappointment washes over me. I was hoping he would agree because I wasn’t prepared to say goodbye. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help it. I can't control my feelings and emotions.
“Oh, okay. Thanks for the coffee. I guess I won’t be sleeping tonight.” I laugh.
“Thank you for the company. It was nice to spend some time with you, beautiful one.”
“Maybe I’ll see you around..."
Gabe nods. “I would really like that. You have my number. Feel free to contact me if you want to talk or meet for coffee.”
“Maybe. Bye.”
I rush out quickly. It’s not because I want to be rude, but because a part of me longs to reach out and kiss him goodbye, to tell him I want to see him tonight. Yet, I can’t do that. I won't. My time with him felt like old times. Gabe and I didn't always need words; simply being together, talking and laughing, was enough. Our connection was always strong. Whatever we were doing, we found happiness in the simplest moments.
I pause outside briefly to take a few deep breaths. Once I feel composed, I walk toward the restaurant where I am meeting them. Inside, I look around for them and see them sitting at a table, apparently waiting for me to order, since they only have coffee and no food.
Smiling, I walk up to them as they stand and greet me with a hug. I gladly return the hug, anticipating the question I know they'll ask next.
“Why were you late? You are never late. Are you okay?” Kaitlyn asks, her concern evident in her voice.
I look down, twiddling my thumbs in my lap. “Um, I was with Gabe.”
“What? How did that happen? Did you spend the night with him?”
Kaitlyn doesn’t even try to disguise the excitement in her voice at the prospect.
I lift my head to look at them. “No, I didn’t. We ran into each other. He asked me out for coffee. I agreed, and we lost track of time. Don’t read too much into it.” I laugh, shaking my head.
She seems disappointed with my answer, but nods anyway, and we order our food. If I didn’t have to meet them for lunch, I would probably have stayed with him longer. If I had been around him long enough, there would have been a high chance I would have ended up doing something stupid, like falling back into bed with him. I swear, I will never learn! Even after all these years, he still has such a strong hold on me.
He was my first love, which is probably part of the reason. He is the only man I’ve ever truly loved, real, deep love, the kind where you don’t want to be apart, not even for a day, and everything seems so simple and happy, even after the rough times. It doesn’t matter what happens in my life or who I meet along the way; no one will ever mean as much to me as Gabe does. Even after he broke my heart, no one or nothing will ever compare.
“Are you with us, Peyton?” Anthony chuckles.
“Hmm, yes, sorry. I was lost in thought.”
Gabe is occupying a lot of space in my thoughts. It feels overwhelming.
“Are you staying in the city tonight, or are you going to him?” he laughs.
“I was thinking about staying. Well, if you don’t mind a roommate for the night?”
They will say yes; I don’t doubt it, but I still want to ask.
“You know you're always welcome to stay with us, sweetie. Gabe has plenty of space, too," Kaitlyn says with a hint of a smirk.
I roll my eyes and shake my head, laughing. “I am not spending the night with Gabe.”
She shrugs. “Just a suggestion, but you're welcome to stay with us.”
“Thank you.” I smile, avoiding any mention of Gabe, in hopes that we can change the subject.
It works. We quickly switch topics until our food arrives. I will do my best to keep it that way while silently thinking of him, without either of them noticing. It's better for me not to see him again, ever. He's too tempting, and the only way to resist is to stay away.
“Where is Max?” Anthony asks.
“He is away on a business trip for a few days.”
“Hopefully, he won’t return," Kaitlyn says openly, showing clear disapproval.
I sigh and plead, “Kaitlyn, please, I can't go through this again."
She raises her hands and apologizes, even if insincere. She's always direct and honest about her feelings towards him. I'm not saying she's wrong, but that's not the issue. I'm fed up with repeating the same conversation. Kaitlyn needs to allow me to handle things on my own. I'll do what's right when I feel prepared.