Page 100 of Unfaithful

He was right.

I looked up, meeting his eyes, and for a moment, the chaos in my mind stilled. Archie had always been my anchor, my steady, unwavering pillar of strength. With just a look, he could quiet the storm inside me.

I smiled at him, feeling slightly lighter. The tension in my chest loosened just a little. Maybe I was overthinking things. Maybe I just needed to let this night be what it was. A date with a man who had always been good to me.

Archie's lips quirked up at the corners, his thumb brushing against the rim of his glass as he studied me. "There she is."

I let out a small laugh. "Was I gone?"

"Not gone," he said. "Just... lost in that overactive mind of yours."

I shook my head, but I didn't deny it. Because he was right. He always seemed to know when I was spiraling, when my thoughts were pulling me under. And somehow, with just a few words, he could bring me back.

"Shall we order?" he proposed, picking up his menu from the table.

"Yeah, let's order," I agreed.

We both decided on steak—medium-rare for him, medium for me. The restaurant offered a variety of sides, and Archie chose garlic mashed potatoes while I went with a baked potato loaded with sour cream, chives, and crispy bacon bits.

While we waited, I told Archie about my clients, the crazy projects I had on my plate, and the struggle I knew was looming on the horizon, the inevitable challenges that would come with separating my company from Cole's.

Archie listened intently, his expression thoughtful as he swirled the wine in his glass. "I'll be honest, Peaches," he said with a small smile. "This isn't my area of expertise, so I'd be absolutely useless in giving you advice. But I'll listen. Always."

I nodded, appreciating his honesty. "That's all I need, really. Just someone to hear me out before my brain explodes." I chuckled, swirling the stem of my wineglass between my fingers. "But I've decided to let go of some of my clients and pass them on to a friend. That way, the burden won't be too overwhelming for me."

Archie nodded, his expression approving. "That's probably smart. You already have enough on your plate with the transition. No need to burn yourself out trying to handle everything at once."

"Exactly," I sighed. "It wasn't an easy decision, though. But at the end of the day, I have to be realistic about what I can handle."

We were quiet for a moment before I asked, "How about you? Are you heading out on another deployment soon?"

I knew what that meant. When Archie took on a deployment, it usually required him to travel, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.

He took a sip of his wine before answering, shaking his head. "I don't know. For the first time in a long time, I'm not in a rush to leave."

That surprised me. Archie had always been in motion, chasing stories in the world's most dangerous places, never staying in one spot for too long. And yet, it had been months since he returned, and he was still here. His feet must be already itching to leave.

"Really?" I asked.

He nodded, his gaze heavy with meaning. "Yeah. There are deployments available. I could leave as early as next week if I wanted. But..." He exhaled, raking a hand through his hair. "I guess I just don't want to. Not right now."

I swallowed, my chest tightening. "Why not?"

He gave me a look—one that made my pulse stutter. "You know why."

I did. I just wasn't sure what to do with it.

"Sara..." Archie's voice trailed off, and I saw his eyes flickering with hesitation, perhaps even conflict.

"Yeah?" I echoed, my voice softer now, holding my breath as I waited for him to continue.

"Why did you ask for a date? With me?" His question took me by surprise, and for a second, I feared this might not be what he really wanted.

"Because I remember you told me you wanted to stay friends for now," he added. "No pressure. No expectations."

"I said that," I admitted softly. "I guess I just wanted to know. I want to give us a try, but I want to take small steps first."

A slow smile curved his lips. "Yeah?" he murmured.

---