Chapter 35

Hayden smirked, his gaze flitting between Lorraine and me. "Looks like my introduction worked out pretty well, huh?"

I felt a blush creep up my neck, but Lorraine smoothly interjected, "Thank you for introducing us. We've been enjoying each other's company."

Hayden chuckled. "That's good to hear. Cole can be a little rigid sometimes. Needs someone to loosen him up." He winked at Lorraine. "Please take care of him."

"Come on, Hayden," I protested, giving him an exasperated look.

He patted my shoulder. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Oh, and Cole, swing by the office tomorrow. There's a project I need you to look at." He left, and the coffee shop's quiet hum returned.

But I felt strangely tense. Lorraine noticed. "You okay?"

I took a deep breath. "I'm fine. It's just…Hayden's not usually involved in my personal life. This is unexpected."

"I understand," Lorraine said thoughtfully. "Family can be…pressuring. But I think he genuinely cares about you."

I nodded, my feelings still tangled. We talked for a while longer, the atmosphere slowly easing. It was late when we left, and I insisted on walking her home.

The cool night air brushed our faces as we walked. Lorraine stopped, turning to me. "I had a wonderful time tonight."

My heart quickened. I looked into her bright eyes. "Me too, Lorraine. Thank you."

We stood there, gazing at each other, the world fading away. Then, a screech of tires shattered the moment. We both whirled around to see a car narrowly miss a delivery scooter.

Lorraine gasped, grabbing my arm. I patted her hand, feeling her tremble. "It's okay. No one's hurt."

The near-miss pulled us back to reality. We continued walking until her building. She hesitated at the door. "Thank you for walking me home. Goodnight."

I watched her go before heading to the parking lot. Driving home, I replayed the evening, a smile playing on my lips.

Chapter 36

I arrived at the office on time the next morning. Hayden appeared shortly after I sat down. "Cole," he began bluntly, "you and Lorraine seemed pretty close last night. Any developments?"

I was taken aback. "Hayden, we're just friends."

He gave me a knowing look. "Really? The chemistry I saw suggested otherwise."

I remained silent. Hayden sighed, sitting across from me. "Cole, I know you went through a rough marriage, but you need to think about your own happiness. Lorraine's a wonderful person. I introduced you hoping you'd give yourself another chance."

His words stirred a mix of emotions within me.