Page 63 of Mine Again
I check my phone. He’s not late, but he’s not early like last time.
Luca was never late. Never kept me waiting. But maybe that’s not the kind of devotion I need anymore.
I order a cappuccino and an americano for Andrea, and by the time I’ve stirred the sugar into my drink twice, I finally see him.
He’s walking fast, weaving between tables with a distracted energy radiating off him. His smile flashes bright when he spots me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
Hmm.
And when he sits down, his eyes barely meet mine.
“Sorry,” he says, a little breathless. “I didn’t mean to make you wait.”
“It’s okay,” I say, studying him. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes.” A pause. “No. I mean… good. It’s good.”
He laughs, but it’s thin and uncertain.
I raise an eyebrow. “Want to try that again?”
He exhales, raking a hand through his hair. The smile settles. This time it’s real, even if it’s trembling at the edges.
“I got promoted this morning.”
I blink. “That’s amazing. Andrea, congratulations!”
The tension in his shoulders eases slightly.
“Thanks. It’s… kind of a big deal. More responsibility. A real team under me. Better pay, obviously.”
He trails off.
“But?” I prompt gently.
He looks at me, and in that moment, I know. Before he even says it.
My smile slips.
Just beneath my ribs, a sharp, unexpected pang makes tears prick my eyes.
I don’t understand why. This was only our second date. But there was potential, and apparently, that’s about to die a quiet, awkward death.
“It’s in Milan.”
The pang sinks into my stomach, heavy and unreasonably hollow.
“That’s…” I force a smile, searching for something safe to say. “That’s amazing. Really. Milan’s huge.”
Andrea nods, but the glow on his face is already fading. “Yeah. It is.”
I glance away, blinking quickly to clear my vision.
Get it together, Isa. This isn’t Luca.
But still…
Is that what this reminds me of?
