Suddenly, this program had my full attention. I picked my head up and looked to the left of the podium as my peers clapped, and couldn’t believe my eyes.
Walking up the steps that led to the stage was a man I thought I would never see again.
My mouth went bone dry and my throat thickened as he crossed the stage in a white button-down dress shirt with a dark-purple tie and black dress pants. His hair was in the same style I’d always remembered, but a little messier, like he’d been running his fingers through it before coming up. His facial hair was gone. There wasn’t a single trace of stubble on his face, and as badly as my heart was beating, it surprised me that I still wanted to go up there and run my fingers over his chin to feel if it was as smooth as it looked.
I fidgeted in my seat, spine stacking as I watched Quinton Cane, the first man I’d ever been in love with, step up to the podium with a bold, charming smile. He shook the announcer’s hand, then faced the crowd, those piercing gray-green eyes bouncing over the audience. And then, with one simple flicker down, those eyes landed on mine.
My breaths faltered, palms sweating like mad. My blood felt like it’d run cold, my lips parting, unable to form words. Truly, I was speechless. Had he planned this seminar, just to see me? Was this some mere coincidence? Did he think we wouldn’t bump into each other here? Why hadn’t he told me he was coming? He had my number. What was happening?
Judging by the stunned expression on his face, I assumed he hadn’t planned on running into me either. At least not so soon, if at all. Considering how big our campus was and that it was the weekend, the odds of running into each other were slim. But we had. Fate was a funny motherfucker, and I was tired of having her fuck with my head.
Cane spoke and introduced himself, his eyes sliding to mine every few seconds. I tried avoiding his eyes too, but after so many weeks—months that felt endless—it was impossible.
He looked…different. His eyes weren’t cloudy and gray. They were clear and vibrant. He looked…clean, like he’d changed his look purposely, just for a fresh start.
My mind circled back to all the things I knew about him.
Was Kelly still in the picture? Was she here right now for the program? I looked around the auditorium, but didn’t see any sign of her. That’s good.
Time ticked by slowly, and Cane spoke carefully and diligently, but it didn’t stop him from finding me in the crowd and speaking while holding my eyes. To anyone else, it would have looked like he’d just chosen someone to focus on, while talking about business and life and how to be confident, but to me, he was trying to tell me something—maybe even beg for something. It was almost like he was…apologizing.
After a while, I couldn’t sit in that large room, listening to his deep voice bounce off every hollow corner, crawling under the thin layers of my skin and seeping it’s way back into my soul. Instead, I pushed out of my seat, passing a quick whisper to Gina to let her know I was going to the restroom.
I dashed down the aisle, purposely avoiding Brody’s eyes too. I knew he was watching me. I could feel the heat of his eyes on me like lava.
I hustled out the open door and marched down the hallway until I found the women’s restroom.
“Holy shit,” I gasped, like I’d been drowning before and had finally resurfaced. “Holy shit. Holy shit.” I paced the bathroom, squeezing my eyes shut, grateful no one was in there. This can’t be real. No way. I thought I’d never see him again. Out of all the places he could be, he was at my college? Unbelievable. He had to have planned this.
I needed to calm down.
I refused to go back into the auditorium until it was over. After turning on the faucet, dipping my hands beneath the stream of water, and swiping two wet fingers under my eyes, I snatched out a paper towel from the holder, dried my hands and face, and then walked out of the bathroom, hoping to linger in the hall until it was over.
I should have stayed where I was because standing across the hall, waiting for me to come out, was Brody. He picked his head up quickly when he heard my steps. “Kandy,” he sighed.
I froze in my tracks as he came closer.
“How are you?” he asked with a forced smile. His eyes were filled with so much remorse that I wanted to punch myself for doing that to him. Don’t get me wrong, there was relief and hope, but more guilt masking his features than anything.