Page 99 of Unfaithful

"But I also know that Cole—the stupid asshole—is still in your heart."

Her tone softened, as did her gaze.

"And with that said, there are two things I'm worried about. One, that you'll have unreasonable expectations—that you'll hope Archie can fill the void, that you'll search for something in him, anything, to replace what you felt for Cole. You will disappoint yourself when you don't find it. Not because Archie isn't enough, but because you were looking for the wrong thing."

She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing, her voice even gentler.

"Secondly... Archie is too good to be hurt like that, Sara. I'm not even that close to him, but just imagining it—imagining him getting his heart broken—it's enough to make my chest ache."

I swallowed, my throat suddenly tight. I knew Emma wasn't saying this to guilt me. She was saying it because she cared. Because she saw things I sometimes refused to acknowledge.

"I don't want to hurt him," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "That's the last thing I want."

"I know," she said, giving me a small, understanding smile. "That's why I'm telling you this now. So you can really think about it. Because Archie? He's all in, Sara. He always has been. If you're not—if even a part of you is still stuck in the past—you need to ask yourself if this is fair to him."

I let out a slow breath, my hands gripping the fabric of my sweater. I had spent days convincing myself this was just a date, nothing more. But maybe Emma was right. Maybe it wasn't fair to Archie if my heart wasn't entirely free to give.

The sounds from downstairs pulled me back to the present. I had a date with the most wonderful man in the world, yet my heart was in tatters.

*** *** ***

The restaurant was cute and cozy, and it felt warm and intimate the moment you stepped inside. With only a dozen tables, the atmosphere was quiet, almost romantic, the soft glow of candlelight reflecting off the wooden walls. The scent of freshly baked bread and simmering herbs filled the air, adding to the charm. It was the place meant for long conversations and lingering glances. Perfect for a date.

If only my heart wasn't such a mess.

"How did you find this place? It's very nice," I said, trying to make conversation.

Archie was studying me, his gaze lingering for a moment before he finally replied. "Henry suggested it."

My brows rose. "Henry?"

"Our new assistant. Julian and I hired him recently."

"Oh, you have an assistant now?"

"We've always had one," he explained. "Since we travel a lot, we need someone to handle things here. But our previous assistant resigned, so Henry's our new guy."

I nodded, playing with my napkin absentmindedly. "Is he good?"

Archie smirked. "So far, yeah. Though I think Julian scares him a little."

I chuckled. "Julian is a riot."

Archie grinned, but his eyes never left mine, like he was trying to read something in my expression. And suddenly, I was all too aware of the way this felt—different, new, charged in a way I wasn't sure I was ready for.

"Relax, Peaches," Archie said gently, his voice laced with warmth. "I don't understand why you're suddenly so nervous around me."

I forced a small smile, but I didn't understand it either. This was Archie. My friend. Someone I trusted, someone who had always been there. And yet, tonight felt different, like there was a weight to every word, an unspoken expectation hanging in the air.

"I'm not nervous," I said, though the way I kept fiddling with the edge of my napkin gave me away.

Archie arched a brow, clearly unconvinced. "Right. And Julian is the most serious guy in the world."

I sighed, finally setting the napkin down. "It's just... weird. Not in a bad way. Just... different."

His gaze softened, and he reached across the table, brushing his fingers lightly against mine. Just for a second. "It doesn't have to be," he said. "It's still just me and you, Sara."

I nodded, but my heart stumbled over itself.Just me and you.

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