Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kinley waved goodbye to her family, then made a beeline for the coffee shop in the plaza across the street. She was exhausted, the persistent ache in her head slamming against her skull like a drum. Caffeine likely wouldn't help, but at this point she needed the boost of energy.

The bell over the door jingled as she stepped into the cozy little coffee shop. The soft murmur of conversation and the clinking of ceramic mugs filled the air as the invigorating aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around her, instantly lifting her mood.

Kinley took a step toward the counter, then stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes landed on Ted, who stood less than a dozen feet away. Her breath caught in her throat as her gaze skimmed over his handsome face, then lower, to the expensive dress shirt and blazer—and his arm wrapped around the tiny waist of the beautiful woman next to him.

His mouth kicked up in a smirk when her eyes jumped back to his. The brunette turned toward her as well, her perfectly shaped eyebrows rising in curiosity.

Kinley was dimly aware of the door opening behind her, and the noise jolted her out of her introspection. She shuffled forward, out of the way of the incoming patron, and forced a smile to her face. "Hey, Ted. How are you?"

"I'm doing well, thank you." He tightened his grip on the brunette's waist and tipped his head toward Kinley. "This is Lauren. Lauren, this is Kinley Layne. She was Addison's Kindergarten teacher."

Her heart twisted at the blow. They'd dated for nearly two years, but in the span of just a few weeks, her status had been reduced to nothing more than his child's teacher.

Kinley forced her muscles to move and managed to stick out her hand. "Lovely to meet you."

"You too." The woman's smile was insincere, her palm barely sliding into Kinley's before she pulled away again and rested her hand on Ted's chest.

Kinley felt sick to her stomach. How many times had he done that exact same thing with her? He'd adeptly acted the gentleman until he'd had her wound around his finger, bending over backward to do his bidding.

She should be glad things had ended—and she was, truly. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt. They'd spent nearly two years together, and Kinley thought they would get married. But she'd discovered that they not only weren't on the same page—Ted had been in an entirely different book.

Ted's gaze locked on the stitches that cut across her forehead, and one eyebrow lifted almost mockingly. His mouth opened, but Kinley quickly cut him off before he could speak. "Well, it was great seeing you."

She turned on a heel, ready to flee back out the front door, when she slammed face-first into a wall of muscle. The man glanced down at her, his expression morphing from concern to understanding before he pasted on a bright smile.

"Hey, babe. Sorry I'm late."

Kinley blinked up at him, utterly blindsided by the man's arrival. Who the hell was this guy? Her gaze quickly swept over his face, taking in his dark brown hair and vivid blue eyes. Did she know him? She didn't think so.

"Uh…"

"I got caught up at work," he continued smoothly as he slipped an arm around her waist, then pulled her close. "Did you order yet?"

The man's arm around her felt strange, but she quickly realized what he was doing. Playing along, she leaned into him slightly as they faced the other couple, hoping her face wouldn't betray her.

"Not yet." She smiled. "I was actually just getting ready to step outside to call you when you walked in."

Ted cleared his throat, and Kinley jumped a little. "Uh… This is Ted," she said, motioning to her ex.

"Nice to meet you," the man said with a charming smile, extending his hand to Ted, who shook it with a bewildered look. "I'm Lance."

"And this is…" Kinley's mind went blank as she turned her gaze toward the brunette. She was still too taken aback by the abrupt turn of events, and her synapses weren't firing properly.

The woman's lips curled down in a frown before she switched her attention to the stranger. "I'm Ted's girlfriend, Lauren."

"Right. Lauren." Kinley winced internally as an awkward, high-pitched laugh escaped before she could stop it.

"Nice to meet you," Lance said with a charming smile, extending his hand to Lauren. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

"Not at all," Ted murmured, clearly caught off guard. "We were just catching up. Small world, huh?"

"Yeah, it is," Lance said with a grin. "Well, it was great to meet both of you. Are you ready to order, sweetheart?"

"Uh… sure," Kinley replied, grateful for the lifeline. She flashed a quick look at Ted and Lauren. "Nice to see you."

She allowed Lance to guide her to the counter, where the barista greeted them with a smile. "What can I get for you?"

Kinley could feel Ted and Lauren's eyes on them, and the dull ache in her head intensified. She forced herself to focus on the menu, but the words seemed to dance on the board in front of her. She closed her eyes against the glare of the lights overhead and drew in a slow, deep breath in an attempt to steady her racing heart. Seeing Ted and Lauren together had thrown her completely off balance.

The stranger—Lance—tossed a sideways look at Kinley. Sensing she needed a moment to gather herself, he placed his order first. All the while he kept his arm around her as if he were waiting for her to pass out at any second. By the time he was done, Kinley had recovered enough to place her order. When she reached into her bag to pull out her wallet, Lance gave an abrupt shake of his head, his gaze flicking behind them.

Her gaze followed his to where Ted and Lauren stood close by, still watching them intently. Of course. She smiled up at Lance, conveying her understanding. He'd committed himself to being her fake boyfriend, and he was going to play this whole charade out 'til the end.

She brought out her phone instead, pretending to check something on the screen before stowing it away again. Lance smiled down at her, and she grinned unrepentantly as she leaned into his side.

Once they had their drinks, Lance led her to a quiet table at the back of the coffee shop. They sat down, and he finally let go of her, shooting her an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped," he said, his voice low. "I saw the look on your face and figured you could use some help."

Kinley took a deep breath, feeling the tension slowly drain from her body. "No, actually I really appreciate it," she said. "The whole thing caught me off guard. Thank you for stepping in. That was... horrible."

Lance nodded. "I could tell. Ex-boyfriend?"

"Yeah," she admitted, absently swirling the spoon through her chai latte. "We just broke up a few weeks ago. Seeing him with someone else so soon..."

"I can imagine," Lance said sympathetically. "He sounds like a dick."

"He kind of is." Kinley laughed. "I'm glad we're not together anymore, but… it still hurts, you know?"

"Well, if it's any consolation, I think seeing us together rattled him." Lance grinned. "I've known a lot of guys like him, and trust me—you can do better."

Kinley blushed. "Thanks."

Lance shrugged modestly. "No problem. I'm just glad I was here at the right time."

She studied the man across from her, as if really seeing him for the first time. He had a kind face and bright blue eyes that crinkled at the corners, as if he liked to laugh. His hair was dark with just a touch of salt and pepper at the temples, but he was in great shape.

More than once, Lance's gaze strayed to the stitches on Kinley's forehead, but he politely chose not to bring it up, instead making small talk.

"So, what do you do for work?" Kinley asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm a realtor," Lance replied easily. "I work for a small brokerage over in Danbury."

"That sounds fun," Kinley said, her smile widening. "I'm a Kindergarten teacher."

Lance's eyebrows raised in admiration. "Wow, that's incredible. I don't think I'd have the patience for that."

Kinley laughed softly. "It has its challenges, but I love it. The kids make it all worth it."

As the conversation continued, Kinley felt a strange sense of serendipity. Just yesterday, she and Cam had been discussing the possibility of selling her house. It felt like a sign that she had run into Lance so soon after that conversation.

"You know," Kinley began slowly, "my friend and I were just talking about selling my house yesterday. It feels like a stroke of luck meeting you here."

Lance's eyes lit up. "Really? Well, if you're considering listing your home, I'd be more than happy to help."

"That would be amazing." Kinley smiled, giddiness spreading through her chest. "I'll warn you though—I have a few things I need to do yet before it'll be ready."

"No problem at all." Lance reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, then slid it across the table to her. "Here's my card. Give me a call if you're interested, and we can set up a time to discuss everything in detail."

Kinley took the card, glancing at it before slipping it into her purse. "Thank you, Lance. I'll definitely be in touch."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, sipping their drinks. Kinley glanced surreptitiously around the room, but it appeared as though Ted and Lauren had left.

"Looks like they're gone," Lance said, following her gaze. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Kinley said, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "I'm good now. Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it."

"Any time." As they finished their coffee, Lance stood up and offered her a warm smile. "It was great talking with you, Kinley. I hope to hear from you soon."

"You too," she replied, watching as he left the coffee shop.

Meeting him might have been a coincidence, but it felt like an amazing opportunity had just been dropped in her lap. With the prospect of selling her house and moving forward, Kinley felt a glimmer of excitement for the future. She couldn't wait to tell Cam.

Kinley stepped out of the cozy warmth of the coffee shop, a spring in her step as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder. The early evening air was crisp, and a gentle breeze tugged at her hair as she made her way toward the parking lot. She'd almost reached her car when a familiar—and very unwelcome—figure emerged from the row next to her.

Ted's presence hit her like a slap to the face. He sauntered toward her, his face twisted into a mask of smug disdain. Every muscle went tense as she turned to face him, the pleasantness of the evening quickly evaporating.

"All alone again, Kinley?" Ted drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Did the new guy leave you already?"

She clenched her fist so tightly that the keys cut into her flesh. Somehow she managed to force her lips into a smile. "He has a long day tomorrow, so we decided to make it an early night."

Ted laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. "You think I don't recognize a lie when I see it? What was this—your first date?"

Kinley's cheeks burned with a mix of anger and humiliation, but she refused to give Ted the satisfaction of knowing he was right. "It's none of your business. Besides, I don't know why you act like you care. You've moved on. Why shouldn't I do the same?"

He lifted one shoulder in an insouciant shrug. "I just think it's funny that you've already scared him off."

"You don't know anything about my life," she shot back. "And frankly, I don't care what you think. You lost the right to tell me your opinion when we broke up."

"I know enough." Ted stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Must be tough, huh? Knowing you're not enough for him, either. I'm heading home with Lauren tonight. Meanwhile, you'll be all alone, as usual."

Her heart ached at the mention of the woman who'd been hanging on his arm. Kinley felt a sharp pang of hurt, but she refused to let Ted see how his words affected her. She lifted her chin and sent a frosty glare his way. "In case you've forgotten, I was the one who walked away from you," she stated coldly. "And quite frankly, I'd rather be alone than be with someone like you."

"Fuck you, Kinley." He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You may have walked away, but I was done with you a long time ago. Maybe if you'd paid more attention to what was happening between us, you'd know that I've been seeing Lauren for months. You were just too stupid to notice."

The sting of his words was like a physical blow, but Kinley stood her ground. "I might be alone right now, but at least I'm not afraid of it. You? You can't stand to be alone because you're terrified of facing who you really are."

Ted's face twisted with anger, but before he could respond, Kinley turned on her heel and slid into the driver seat, her heart pounding.

As she pulled out of the parking lot and made her way down Main Street, her bravado faded away. The hurt she'd been holding back rose to the surface and tears burned across the bridge of her nose.

The stop sign in front of her blurred before her eyes and she brushed the tears away. Damn Ted for making her feel like she wasn't good enough.

She hesitated for a moment before flicking on her turn signal and steering the car toward the one person she could always count on.