Chapter 67
Kurt
It”s been almost three weeks since I”ve seen or even heard from Juliana. I”ve thrown myself into my work and the results were great. One largely successful case and just a few days ago my boss handed me the files for one of our firm”s most important cases yet.
I”m honored to take on such an important case but my nerves about Tatyana and Mike”s engagement party have kept me from anything more than a few glances at the files. I”m not so much nervous for the party but I am nervous to see her again. I finally told my parents we broke up and of course, they were heartbroken. I was too. Even if it was a fake engagement, the heartbreak I felt was real.
”Kurt, are you sure you should be going tonight?” My mom stands at her kitchen island cutting up vegetables. I only dropped by to borrow one of my dad”s ties. I walk over to her and kiss her cheek while tying the tie properly. She of course adjusts it just slightly then smiles.
”Yes, mom. I know both Tatyana and Mike. They even sent me an invitation after Juli and I broke up.”
”I know that,” my mom sighs and I can tell she is holding back something.
”What is it?” It doesn”t take much pressure for her to speak.
”You”re not over Juli. At all. Even a little bit. It”s been three weeks. And you”re still deeply madly in love.”
”Wow,” is all I can say. ”That”s dramatic.”
”Well, am I wrong?” My mom puts the knife down and gives me a stern look.
”I mean, it”s a bit dramatic but okay, fine. I”m not over her.” I sit down on a stool across from where my mom continues to cut the veggies. ”But that doesn”t mean I can”t handle this party. Maybe she won’t be there. Okay, she definitely will, Tatyana is her best friend but I probably won”t even run into her.”
Mom gives me another look which makes me keep talking.
”Even if I do, I”ll be fine.” I try to reassure her and myself. Wow, I”m getting close to 30 and I still act a fool over a girl. ”I”ll be fine,” I repeat, firmer this time.
”Sure, you”ll be fine.” My mom gives a small smile, a sly smile. ”You look very handsome. Have a nice evening.” My mom practically shoos me out the door.
”Thanks for the tie, Dad!” I shout on my way out and I see him wave goodbye.
On the drive over I can feel my heartbeat speeding up. When I pulled into the nearly full parking lot of El Mezcal, I sigh and grip the steering wheel, trying to mentally prepare myself for the evening.
I join a group gathered in front of the restaurant, introducing myself and recognizing some of them, and then I make my entrance with them. The room is crowded. Tatyana is quite popular and super friendly so I am not surprised by the number of people attending the engagement party. I can feel eyes on me but from the looks I”ve been getting recently from my parents, it”s probably just someone who feels sad about my broken engagement. I”ve already had a couple of people approach me and tell me how brave I am for coming here tonight. Smiling and waving away their worries is the only thing I can think to do at the moment.
The room gets too crowded for me so I make my way to the back patio which is also decorated for the evening. I admire the decorations while I walk further away from the restaurant doors, the noise growing quieter. I can still hear the chatter from the inside since the doors are propped open but it”s quieter out here. A beautiful evening really.
”Hi, Kurt,” a voice says softly and I turn to find Juliana a couple feet from me. I take a step back automatically and my fingers begin to sweat around the glass I”m clutching a little too hard.
”Juliana,” I begin, then clear my throat. ”Hi, wow you look incredible.” I regain my cool but can”t help from looking her up and down in appreciation. A light blush appears on her cheeks and she looks down at the ground but I catch a smile on her face.
”Thank you, you look very handsome.” She offers in return. I look down at my own attire and am grateful I dressed up for this evening. ”How have you been?” Juliana asks and I realize we”ve been standing in silence for a few seconds.
”Good. Well. Work has been great lately. I was handed a big case last week, so I”ll have my hands full in the coming months.” I chuckle and Juliana looks up at me smiling. God, I”ve missed that smile.
”That”s great! I was always so impressed by how great you were at your job. I”m glad your bosses recognize that too.”
”How is your job?” I ask, thinking of her retail days but having heard through my parents that she put in her notice shortly after our ”break up” and was already into something new.
”Good,” Juliana pauses, her hands holding each other and twisting slightly. ”Actually, it”s amazing. I love it. I”m sure you”ve heard that I have moved on from the retail life.” I nod and she continues talking. ”Well, now I”m doing something that I enjoy. And no more mean customers. Okay, that”s not entirely true but for the most part, everyone is nice, they’re just passionate.”
Juliana again graces me with her smile and I can”t help but smile back. I”m happy for her, and I want to hear more about her job. It seems like she is enjoying it.
”I wanted to talk to you...” Juliana begins to say but is interrupted by a crowd of guests joining us out on the patio. Before I know it, Juliana gets swept away by some of her friends. I see her looking for me but I can”t reach her and I don”t want to be rude and keep them from taking her.
My nerves again get the better of me and I drain the rest of my drink wondering what Juliana wanted to talk about.
”Hey, Kurt! Glad you could make it.” Mike gives me a smack on the back and then shakes my hand.
”Congratulations on the engagement. I heard you both proposed. That must have been fun.”
”Oh, for sure. We spent almost a week and a half alone in my apartment celebrating. First, because she proposed and then with renewed energy after I proposed. Haha,” Mike”s laugh booms in the enclosed patio. ”So how are you and Juliana doing? Any update there? Of course, I hear things from Tatyana but I assume you have a side to this story as well.”
I want to ask him what Tatyana had told him or hell even what Juliana may have said but I don”t ask.
”We haven”t spoken in a while,” I admit and Mike shakes his head disappointed but acknowledging the truth in it. ”Tonight is the first time I”ve seen her since about three weeks ago. She said she wanted to talk but she got busy with other guests so honestly I don”t know what she was going to say.”
”It”s bothering you, huh?” Mike asks, looking at me.
”That obvious?”
”Oh yeah,” Mike takes a few seconds to scan the room then points to a corner where a table is set up with little games on it. ”There she is. Go grab her. I have to admit, Tatyana and I are rooting for you two.”
”Thanks, man.” I chuckle and shake his hand before I head off in the direction of the table, watching the pretty girl in the gray dress hand out games to different guests. ”Juliana,” I say when I reach the table, stopping in front of her.
”Oh, hi. Sorry, I got pulled away earlier.” She starts to say more but I lean in closer to her and she goes quiet. I breathe her in and try not to lose my train of thought by how amazing she smells.
”Can we go somewhere to talk privately?” I try to say quietly so only she can hear but with all the noise and loud music, I guess I”m not very quiet.
”You can use my office,” I look over and a man with the name tag ”Don” hands us his keys with a sly smile on his face. Juliana laughs and takes them from his outstretched hand.
”Thanks, Don. We won”t be too long.” As we make our way to Don”s office Juliana explains. ”Don is the owner of the restaurant. He”s been very helpful and quite accommodating as well.”
We remain silent the rest of the way to the office, getting stopped a couple of times by friends of the couple and Juliana. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Juliana”s mother approaching us.
”Hello, Kurt, Juliana,” Juliana”s mother stops us before we can disappear into the room.
”Mother,” Juliana greets her mother and allows for a quick hug. She opens her mouth to say something more but her mother quickly starts speaking.
”I was so sad to hear that the two of you ended your engagement. And sad that I had to hear it from a third party. But then again, I learned about the engagement from someone else as well,” her mother chuckles sarcastically, teasing us and Juliana blushes.
”Mom,” Juliana says quietly and I honestly don”t know what to say.
”Thank you,” I say. ”I think I can say for the both of us that we were quite excited then quite devastated. It was a whirlwind of an engagement and then as quickly as it began, unfortunately, it ended.” Maybe, I think to myself. Hopefully, it won”t be over for long. Juliana looks up at me and gives a small smile of gratitude.
”It”s nice to see you two together and being civil towards each other,” her mother continues and Juliana gives her mother another look.
”Of course, we can be civil. Just because we broke up does not require us to hate each other.” Juliana rolls her eyes but she smiles over at me, blushing slightly. ”Have you congratulated Tatyana and Mike on their engagement?”
”Seems insensitive for them to get engaged so soon after you two ended your engagement.” Her mother looks at both of us, giving each of us a sympathetic/sad smile.
”No, actually, I was ecstatic to hear about their engagement,” Juliana opposes and I nod my head in agreement with her. ”I am very happy for them. Everyone is happy.”
Her mother smiles and reaches out to squeeze her hand before she nods and steps back. ”I think I will go find them now and congratulate them.”
”That”s very thoughtful of you. Now, if you”ll excuse us.” I step back and gesture for Juliana to go in front of me down the hall to the office. ”We have some things to discuss,” I say before following Juliana. ”It was nice seeing you,” I add to be polite, throwing the comment over my shoulder as I continue down the hallway.
When we reach the office, the room grows quiet as the door shuts behind us. We stand silently for a few seconds before she speaks.