Page 75 of Liberating Bells
“Shit,” I mutter, mostly to myself. “I’m so sorry.”
When I look up to make sure whoever I almost ran over is okay, my mouth goes dry.
Familiar green eyes stare down at me. His expression is unreadable as he traces the features of my face.
“I’m sorry,” I say again, though this time it’s a whisper as I find myself getting lost in Ryan’s gaze.
His shoulders drop sightly as he lets out a long breath. “It’s okay. You’re not hurt, are you?”
I’m suddenly wondering if he’s asking that question because I ran into him, or because he knows the dirty secrets that revolve around my relationship.
My cheeks heat and I drop my eyes away from him. “No. I’m not hurt.”
At least not on the outside.
“Glad to hear it,” he says. His tone is level, and I can’t help but look up at him again, hoping to find some unspoken facial cue. But I get nothing. His face is still just as stoic as it was a moment ago. “Good to see you, Bells.”
“You too,” I say. He nods once, as if he’s content with the pleasantries and is ready to move on already. Stepping aside,he gives me a tight smile. Panic explodes in my chest out of nowhere, and I realize I’m not ready to be done talking to him yet.
Not after I haven’t seen him in weeks.
“Wait,” I say before he has a chance to get too far away from me. He turns his head with a brow raised. I scramble for something, anything to say, to help relieve this awkwardness that is settling between us. It’s such a foreign feeling I’m entirely unprepared to deal with it. “How’s your mom doing?”
Ryan takes a deep breath. “Good…well, as good as she can be, I suppose.”
I press my lips together. Out of my peripheral, I spot a couple leaving a table by the windows. I look over at it and then back to Ryan. “Want to sit and catch up for a minute?”
Ryan looks hesitant. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
I shrug a shoulder in answer. Without saying anything else, I walk over to the vacated table and take a seat. A second later, Ryan follows me.
He slides into the seat and folds his hands on top of the table.
“So she’s doing okay?”
“Yeah, she’s just going through treatments, and praying that they’re working. She’s got a follow up in a few weeks with her main oncologist.”
“I’m sure it will be nothing but good news,” I say, hopeful.
Ryan rubs the back of his neck. “You and me both.”
“If you ever need anything…” I start, but trail off. I know deep down I shouldn’t be offering this. But at the same time, I can’t not offer. “Just know I’m here for you.”
Ryan is quiet a beat too long. It makes the already awkward atmosphere even more awkward. “Yeah, you too, Bells.”
My cheeks heat, and I look down at the table. Thankfully, someone swings by and places Juliet and my coffees down. They swipe away the order number and disappear before I can eventhank them. Ryan eyes the second coffee before his eyes catch on something outside.
“You meeting up with Juliet?” he asks, tilting his head to the front of the shop. I turn around in my seat to look out the windows, spotting Juliet pacing back and forth, phone stuck to her ear. I can tell she’s annoyed by the way she’s scowling at the cement in front of her.
“Oh yeah. We’re um—” I hesitate. “Working on wedding things together.”
Ryan’s face instantly darkens. He stares at me a moment longer before giving me a curt nod. “Guess that’s coming up soon, then, huh?”
I nod, and my throat feels dry. “Yes, on the eighth of next month.”
“It’s still on then? The wedding.”
Words get caught now, so I settle on giving him a slow, regretful nod.
