Chapter 64
Juliana
Dinner goes pretty smoothly and I am actually having a great time. Nicole and Dave haven”t asked any questions about our relationship and instead, they ask me about my family and my job. I brace myself the whole night just in case they do ask. I honestly am not sure what I would say if they did ask.
I think Nicole said something to Kurt earlier but I couldn”t hear and it wasn”t repeated so I didn”t bring it up.
By the end of the night, I”ve had an amazing evening. Nicole and Dave are a sweet couple and surprisingly things with Kurt were not awkward. At all. I”ve missed Kurt. It hasn”t been that long since we were living together and I didn”t realize how important he had become to me. Of course, he was important to me. Is still important.
My heart starts to flutter while we stand in the driveway chatting before hitting the road. I place my hand on my heart hoping to calm it down. Nicole catches my motion as the guys talk, and she pulls me aside gently.
”Is everything okay?” Nicole cradles her little boy in her arms as we speak. He was supposed to be asleep before dinner started but he wanted to join us. He lasted about half an hour in his seat before Nicole had to hold him and then he quickly fell asleep on Nicole”s lap. He”s been asleep for almost an hour but she hasn”t put him down.
I nod and smile politely. Nicole looks at me for a moment then she smiles back, a softer smile.
”You know, I was skeptical at first,” Nicole says and her voice brings me back to the present, to focus.
”What do you mean?”
”Well, when Dave told me Kurt was engaged, yet we had never heard of you before, I was skeptical. I thought maybe he was rushing into things. His last girlfriend was very manipulative and Dave and I both worried it was too soon or the wrong girl.” Nicole pauses and I look over at Kurt and Dave. Kurt turns at that moment and catches me looking, he smiles at me and I automatically smile back. ”Now, I see that I had no reason to be skeptical. You”re in love with him. And he is very much in love with you.”
With her words, my heart cries out again and it takes everything in me not to physically react.
”How can you tell?” I whisper softly, barely being able to get the words out, fearing what my emotions might release.
Nicole reaches out and rubs my arm reassuringly.
”The way that you two look at each other, the way you act with each other. You can just tell.”
I want to ask her more questions. I want to know if it”s true. If this could be real. But Kurt and Dave make their way over to us and Kurt looks at me.
”You ready to go?” I nod and look back at Nicole.
”Thank you so much for having us over for dinner. It was great. You have a lovely home and adorable children.” I quickly clamp my mouth shut to keep from gushing further. Dave and Nicole laugh and the boy stirs in her arms but doesn”t wake.
”We are so grateful you both were able to join us. And please feel free to take the kids off our hands anytime.” Nicole teases and I smile.
Kurt laughs then unlocks the car and holds the door open for me. There are hugs all around before I slide into the seat and wait for Kurt to say goodbye before getting into the car. Nicole says something to him when she gives him a hug and I see him smile. I look away to give them privacy.
We both wave as we pull out of the driveway and head down the street to get back to the main road.
”You look really nice tonight,” Kurt”s voice draws my attention and I look over at him. He”s focused on the road. ”I wasn”t sure if I had mentioned that earlier.”
”Thank you, you clean up nicely as well.” I sit back in my seat relaxing on the drive home. ”I”m not sure if this would be too weird but Tatyana and Mike are having their engagement party in three weeks, Saturday. They would love it if you would come. I know Mike thinks highly of you. As does Tatyana.”
”I would love to come,” Kurt interrupts my rambling and I smile grateful for his response.
We drive in a comfortable silence for a while before Kurt clears his throat and says something that takes me by surprise.
”The apartment has been kind of empty without you. Lonely. Well, I guess the apartment can”t be lonely but it feels lonely.”
”For a lawyer, you”re not too great with words,” I interrupt to tease him. ”I miss you.”
My admission causes him to start. Kurt looks over at me and then back at the road.
”I”m sorry,” I say when Kurt doesn”t respond.
”No! No,” Kurt protests, stopping me from apologizing further. ”It just shocked me. Juliana, I miss you. My apartment felt like a home with you there. Now it just feels empty.”
”Hmm, ‘lonely’,” I tease him, copying his words from earlier.
”Yes, lonely.” Kurt chuckles and pulls into the parking lot of my building. He puts the car in park and turns the engine off but neither of us moves an inch. Kurt turns to face me.
Before he can say anything, a loud rap on the window startles us. I look out and see an angry face staring back at me. Callum.
”What the -,” Kurt starts to say, while Callum gestures for us to leave the vehicle, saying something muffled that we can”t hear. I quickly exit the vehicle, walking around to the driver”s side where Callum still stands and Kurt is exiting his car.
”Callum, what are you doing here?”
”You canceled on me last minute earlier this week. I wanted to come by to leave something for you. I didn”t know you were still going out with this guy.” Callum gestures to Kurt who is now standing beside his car, staying silent but watching carefully. I appreciate that he hasn”t stepped in. I can handle this on my own. I think.
I pull Callum aside to distance us from Kurt. When we get a safe distance away, I put my hands on my hips and look up at the angry man staring down at me.
”Callum, I don”t have to explain myself to you. In fact, why don”t you explain something to me? The other day when we were out on a date, someone took a picture of us and sent it to Kurt with a very presumptuous message. Do you have any comments on that?”
As soon as I mention the picture and the text, Callum”s angry red face shifts and he has the decency to look embarrassed. Even if it”s only a little bit.
”What are you talking about?” Callum tries to act innocent but his initial reaction shows me the truth.
”Callum, don”t. If that was some stupid, petty way of trying to piss off Kurt or hurt me, it didn”t work. Kurt is a grown man, he is mature and this immature crap you”re pulling doesn”t work on him.” Callum looks a little taken back and I”m a bit shocked at my harsh words as well. Callum opens his mouth to speak but I cut him off. ”No, I”m not finished. The reason I agreed to reschedule our date was because I needed to talk to you.”
Callum crosses his arms and stands tall, looking down at me. I sneak a glance of Kurt over Callum”s shoulder and see that Kurt is still by his car waiting patiently, watching.
”What do we need to talk about?” Callum grumbles.
”We broke up for a reason, Callum. Well, a lot of reasons actually but that”s beside the point. We broke up. And I do wish you a happy life and happy relationship, it”s just not with me. And please don”t be angry at Kurt,” I speak before he can say anything even though I see him getting angry. ”He”s not the reason. I”ve grown up, Callum. And we”ve grown apart. We want different things and I just don”t see any chance of us ever being together again.”
Callum”s anger is still behind his eyes but they soften ever so slightly. I reach out and take his hands in mine. Squeezing them gently, I smile up at him.
”I hope you can understand.” Callum lets me hold his hands for a few seconds before he squeezes mine back. The corner of his mouth tilts up and he leans down to hug me.
”I know I don”t deserve you, but I don”t think he does either,” Callum says to me, a smirk returning to his face, this time it”s playful, not malicious. I laugh and shake my head.
”Thanks,” I reply, not needing to say anything further. Callum steps back.
”Well, I guess I”ll see you around then,” Callum turns to walk away then he remembers why he came. ”Oh, I almost forgot, I was at the store yesterday and this reminded me of you.” Callum hands me a small keychain shaped like the Louvre. ”I know you”ve always wanted to go there.”
”Thank you, Callum,” I say, clutching the keychain. Callum smiles at me. He gives a slight wave and heads off to his car without looking back.
I stand in place for a few seconds then turn as I hear someone approaching me.
”Everything okay?” Kurt looks concerned but when I smile the concern eases.
”I”m alright.” I let out a breath I realized I”d been holding. I pocket the keychain before speaking again. ”Thank you for a lovely evening.”
”Thank you for coming with me. Will I see you again?” Kurt watches me closely. After admitting we”ve missed one another, I realize it”s true but I also realize I don”t need to rush this. ”At least for the engagement party.”
”Yes, the engagement party.” I don”t know what else to say.
Kurt looks a bit hurt but he leans down and kisses my cheek.
”Goodnight, Juliana.”
”Goodnight, Kurt.”
With that, I turn to go inside the building and only look back once to see Kurt getting into his car and driving away. I can”t help but feel my heart tugging me to go after him but I know I made the best decision.