The restaurant hummed softly with the gentle clink of cutlery and muted conversations. James sat across from Amelia, his eyes searching hers for something that felt increasingly absent. His fork toyed with the pasta on his plate, the meal he had painstakingly chosen barely touched.
“You’ve been quiet all evening,” he said finally, his voice low but edged with concern.
Amelia glanced up, startled from her thoughts. “What? Oh, I’m sorry, James. I’m just… distracted.”
James leaned forward, his gaze steady. “It’s not just tonight, Amelia. You’ve been distracted for weeks.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but James cut her off gently. “No, hear me out. I get it. You’ve been through a lot—between the stalker, the kids, Ryan—but I feel like I’m on the outside looking in. Like I’m competing with something I can’t touch.”
His words hit home, and guilt gnawed at her. She placed her fork down carefully, trying to gather her thoughts. “It’s not that, James,” she said quietly. “I care about you so much. But right now, the kids need me. They’ve been through so much, and—”
James raised a hand, his expression soft but firm. “I know you’re putting them first. I respect that. But there’s more to this, Amelia. Is it Ryan?”
The question hung in the air like a dagger. Amelia’s heart skipped, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. Her silence was an answer in itself.
James sighed, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not asking you to choose between me and your kids—that’s not fair. But I do need to know if I’m competing with him. Because if I am…” He trailed off, his voice laden with disappointment.
Amelia shook her head quickly. “It’s not what you think. Ryan is part of the kids’ lives, but that’s all it is.”
James studied her carefully, his lips pressing into a thin line. “I’ll take your word for it. For now.” His tone softened as he reached across the table to take her hand. “I just want to make this work, Amelia. You and me. But we can’t if you’re not fully here.”
“I want it to work too,” she said, her voice earnest, though her heart felt torn. “I just need time to sort through everything.”
James gave her hand a squeeze before letting go. “I can give you time. But I need to feel like I’m not waiting for something that’s never going to happen.”