Her date with Todd on Saturday was a bust. Apparently, when she had asked about smoking, he hadn't thought to tell her that he was really into vaping. Like, really into vaping. He couldn't stop talking about how good vaping was. She had to admit, the stuff did smell like delicious cherry candy, but he looked like an idiot standing out there with a puff of white smoke around his head. He said he had never smoked, just took up vaping when a friend introduced it to him.
She couldn't help but ask again, "What is your opinion of smokers?"
"Oh, it's gross. Smells bad for one, and you look like an idiot standing out in the cold just for a drag of a cancer-stick."
"Huh." Stephanie had to stifle her laugh at the irony of the situation. Vaping may not smell as bad, but you still look like an idiot standing outside in the cold to participate. She didn't like her odds of getting interesting and intelligent conversation out of him anymore.
They chatted until their coffees were gone, and then conversation slowed. Suddenly, a tall, dark haired figure was approaching their table. The shock must have been plain on Stephanie's face.
"David?" the question whispered from her lips.
David did not live in the city, so she had only ever seen him at pre-arranged get togethers. He was clearly heading to her table to say hi, and she needed a distraction from Todd. She closed her mouth and smiled politely at his approach, feeling a buoyancy in his presence she had never felt before.
When David reached the table, he leaned down and kissed her once on each cheek, a move she had never seen him do before, and which made her instantly uncomfortable. She was no longer happy to see him.
"I never imagined I would run into your lovely face here today! How are you, darling?" He drawled.
"I'm well thanks David, and yourself?" her tone was stiff, and he either didn't notice, or tried to overcompensate.
"Absolutely stupendous! I feel I haven't seen you in ages!"
"No, you're right it has been a while." He wasn't even talking like his normal self, and Stephanie felt unbalanced. "I'm being rude, David, this is Todd." She gestured across the table, "Todd, this is David, my... friend."
David nodded at Todd and turned back to her, "I was so sorry to hear about you and Mark, are you quite sure you are alright? I've been worried." David held both of Stephanie's hands in his, and she started to wonder if she was being pranked. She tried to gently tug her hand away, but his grip was firm.
"About me?"
"Of course! Why shouldn't I be?"
"Well, I figured you would have been a bit more concerned about Mark for one." She couldn't help her puzzled tone. He finally released her hands, and she folded them onto her lap.
Stephanie could see Todd was getting more agitated across the table. His hand was in his pocket where she knew he kept his vape. Knowing David was not even a little bit interested in Middle Earth, she continued "Todd and I were just chatting about The Hobbit when you came over, and I would really like to know what he thinks of the Battle of the Five Armies."
Todd still looked wary but looked up at David and gave the barest hint of a smile. David seemed to get the message. He excused himself to get coffee, and took it to sit by himself near the corner and grabbed a newspaper off the table.
"So, who is Mark?"
"Oh, uh," she stumbled getting the words out. "My ex." She'd never actually said it out loud so bluntly before, and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat.
"Oh."
"Yeah, like, one of the few things we aren't supposed to bring up on a first date, right?" she let out the laugh she'd been holding in, and was glad when Todd also chuckled.
"Sorry about that interruption. It was a bit... weird."
Todd blushed, "yeah, it was. So, the Battle of the Five Armies, eh?"
"Tell me more." Stephanie tried to look at him with rapt attention, noticing from the corner of her eye that David never turned the page of his newspaper, and had all but ignored his coffee.
Thirty minutes later, she and Todd parted. As soon as she left the coffee house, she noticed David following her out.
She waited for the door to close behind him. "What are you doing David? Why are you even here?"
"What do you mean? I was getting a coffee."
She pursed her lips at this and stared hard at him. "I thought you lived in Ottawa."
"Oh, I do, but I'm in town for business. That's how I found out about you and Mark, I called him to see if we could all get together."
"I see."
"This, today, was just coincidence. I'm staying in the Radisson over there. Concierge told me that this was a great cozy coffee house so I thought I'd check it out, and just happened to run into you. What are you up to for the rest of the day?"
She was thrown off by his deflection. "Oh, I've just got some housework and things to do, nothing exciting."
"Oh, okay. Well, I don't really have anything to do."
"I'm sure you'll figure something out." She pulled out her phone to check the time.
"I'm hoping I'll be seeing John tonight if he can swing it, want to join us?"
"Oh, no thank you. I was hoping to get an early night, I've got a busy day tomorrow."
"Oh okay." He paused for a moment, "so who's Todd?"
"He's just a guy I met for coffee."
"You're dating already?" the pitch of his question made her cringe.
"Well, it was just coffee, nothing serious. Why does it matter to you?" They were standing right outside the door to the cafe, and she stepped further away from him to let some new customers in.
"Oh, it doesn't, I'm just surprised, considering the incident with Mark was so recent and all."
"The incident? That's what you're calling our break-up? Things with Mark are done, so I'm just trying to move on. That's how life works."
"You don't think you'll get back together with him?"
"Nope." She popped the 'p' sound for emphasis.
"Well, I'm here for you if you ever need to talk."
Stephanie had reached her limit at this point. She raised an eyebrow. "Why? We've never talked before. The most we've ever done is share a joke around a table at the restaurant. You've basically avoided having too much interaction with me, and now you're all concerned about me even though I just dumped your best friend? I don't get it." She could feel the heat rising up her chest and neck now, and she was slightly breathless.
"You emailed me completely out of the blue and then just show up while I'm on a slightly awkward first date," the corner of his mouth quirked up, but she pressed on, "and now you're trying to get me to hang out with you and John tonight, which is just weird since you are both Mark's best friends, and therefore, you probably aren't supposed to be wanting to see me, so I'm a little confused."
At this he grabbed her hand and turned her towards him. His eyes were intense and his look set her teeth on edge.
"Stephanie, you are so beautiful, so passionate, and I just want to see you." What the hell!? Stephanie felt like she had the breath knocked out of her while he continued, "I didn't mean to seem cold to you before, but it was the only way I could protect myself."
She nearly shrieked in response, "Protect yourself?"
"I've always felt something for you, but you were my best friend's girl, so I told myself it was just a silly little crush. So, I pretended like you weren't there so I wouldn't get jealous of Mark. It worked pretty well. But when he told me what happened between you, I just couldn't stop myself. All those feelings came rushing back, and now, seeing you starting to date again, I know it is over with Mark and I just want my chance."
Stephanie detached her hand from his. "Oh god. This is... a lot." She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. "Please tell me you aren't serious."
"I am, and I'd really like to take you out to dinner tonight."
"No."
"No?"
"Absolutely not. I do not have any feelings for you, and I am pretty sure the 'bro code' or whatever specifically says I am off limits. You're Mark's best friend! How could you even be thinking of this?" She stopped for a breath.
"And what was your plan if you hadn't run into me today? Keep emailing and hope I open up to you and turn to you for comfort?" She could feel her face burning. "No. That's what my friends are for. Not Mark's friends. Good bye, David."
She turned on her heel and stomped away.