Chapter 98 98

Chapter 98 98
I stared at him, my indecisiveness evident in my expression.

He smiled. “You know what? Let's just go and order it ourselves. It would be fun.” He suggested, still smiling.

I smiled and nodded.

We then both got up and moved to the counter to order. After much back and forth, I got a latte, and Wilson got a black coffee. We also ordered a couple of pastries to share, and then returned to our table to wait for our order.

As we settled back into our seats, I noticed how relaxed the atmosphere was. This coffee shop was exactly the kind of place I'd choose if I wanted a quiet, and comfortable conversation away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

"This is a nice place," I commented, my eyes scanning the atmosphere once again. "How did you find it?"

"I stumbled upon it a few months ago," Wilson explained. "I was in the area and needed somewhere quiet to make some phone calls and do some really hard thinking. I loved the ambience and the quietness and since then, it has become one of my favorite spots when I need to think or just want some peace."

“Wow…” I muttered, looking around one more time.

Our order arrived, and we spent the next few minutes just enjoying our coffee and pastries. The conversation started light and easy, touching on simple topics like the weather, the neighborhood, and our favorite types of coffee.

"So," Wilson said after a while, "you mentioned you were working this morning. Big project?"

I hesitated, not wanting to get into business talk but also not wanting to be evasive.

"Yeah… Something like that. My company just landed a major contract, and now we're in discussions for potentially an even bigger one. It's exciting but also overwhelming."

"That sounds incredible," Wilson said, proudly. "Congratulations on the contract. That must feel amazing."

"It does," I admitted, nodding my head gladly. "It's validating, you know? All the hard work, all the late nights, it's finally paying off in tangible ways."

"I can imagine," Wilson responded, his tone showing his attentiveness. "Building something from the ground up takes incredible dedication. You should be proud of yourself."

The sincerity in his voice made me smile. "Thank you. That means a lot." I said to him, really proud of myself and of how far Raymond and I have come.

The conversation flowed naturally from there. We talked about everything and nothing. Wilson shared funny stories about his various jobs, from the worst of them all to the current ones he had, and I found myself laughing more than I had in weeks. He had a way of telling stories that made even mundane situations sound entertaining.

In turn, I shared some stories about Belle and her endearing quirks, like her insistence on saying goodbye every morning and her determination to finish her art projects no matter what obstacles arose.

"She sounds like a special kid," Wilson observed, taking a sip from his coffee.

"She really is," I agreed, nodding excitedly. "She's not even my daughter, but she has become such an important part of my life. Her and Sophia both have." I added, honestly.

Time seemed to slip away as we talked. The conversation didn't even feel forced or awkward. There were no uncomfortable silences, no moments where I felt like I had to search for something to say. It was easy, natural, like talking to someone I'd known for years rather than someone I'd only met a few times.

We discussed books we'd read, movies we wanted to see, places we'd traveled to or hoped to visit someday. As we spoke further, I realized that Wilson had been to several countries for work, and he shared fascinating stories about different cultures and experiences.

"You've done so much traveling," I said with a touch of envy. "I've always wanted to travel more, but life just kept getting in the way."

"It's never too late," Wilson pointed out. "Once your company expansion is settled and things stabilize, you could take a trip somewhere you've always wanted to go."

"Maybe," I said thoughtfully. "I've always wanted to see Japan. The culture, the food, the architecture. It all seems so beautiful."

"Japan is really incredible," Wilson confirmed, nodding his head. "I went there on a sponsored trip for about two weeks a couple of years ago.

"Oh really?” I asked, surprised.

“If you ever do go, I have some recommendations for places that most tourists miss.” He chipped in, confidently.

“Okay, I'll hold you to that then." I replied with a smile.

At some point, we ordered second cups of coffee, and then a third. The barista behind the counter smiled at us knowingly, clearly recognizing two people who were in no hurry to leave.

We talked about family, though both of us seemed to instinctively avoid anything too heavy or painful. I mentioned Raymond and how close we were, but Wilson didn't talk too much about his.

"You seem like you have a close relationship with your brother," Wilson observed. “I mean it's really obvious, especially from what happened at the hospital last time. He was ready to tear me apart.” He added, jokingly.

I burst into laughter as I remembered what he was talking about. Raymond was truly ready to throw fists if he had his way on that day.

“Haha… It's funny now.” Raymond laughed too.

“I'm so sorry for laughing.” I apologized, hurting so hard to hold it in.

“It's fine. I mean it's a good thing to have someone who supports one’s cause and will do anything for them.” He spoke further.

"You're absolutely right." I confirmed, nodding slowly. "Raymond has been my rock through everything. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"That's rare and precious," Wilson stated, honestly. "Not everyone has that kind of support system."

"Do you?" I asked. "Have a strong support system, I mean?"

Wilson considered the question. "I do, though it's probably different from yours. My family is spread out across different states, so we don't see each other as often as we'd like. But we're close in the ways that matter."

The conversation shifted again, this time to lighter topics like favorite foods and childhood memories. I found myself telling Wilson about growing up with Raymond, about the silly games we used to play and the trouble we got into back then.

"You must have been a handful," Wilson said with amusement.

"I prefer to think of it as creatively spirited," I replied, making him laugh.

I hadn't realized how much time had passed until I happened to glance at my phone to check something, and my heart nearly stopped.

7:28 PM.

"Oh shoot!" I exclaimed, my hand flying to my mouth as I stared at the time in disbelief.