Coffee Cup Confessions - Trish Williford Page 0,5
but that is the only activity outside. I glance at my phone to see that Matt is now seven minutes late. I’m not too alarmed, especially since it’s snowing and people in this town tend to crawl at a snail’s pace when the first snowflake is spotted.
I turn my attention to Jake and watch as he makes my coffee behind the counter. His movements are so fluid and smooth. He oozes confidence without being conceited, which makes him even more attractive.
A moment later, he hands me my coffee in an oversize ceramic cup. “Do you mind if I join you until he shows?”
Do I mind? “Not at all, please.”
He sits on the opposite end of the couch and puts his cup of coffee on the table. “So, why is your sister taking it upon herself to be a matchmaker? I don’t believe for a second that you have any trouble finding dates of your own.”
“And I bet you don’t either. You seem to be a ladies man.”
“Why? Because I’m saying things that are true?”
“You don’t know me from the next stranger who walks in the door.”
Jake smirks at my reaction. “Can I give you my assessment? And tell me if I’m right.”
“Fair enough,” I agree.
He sits up straight and slightly narrows his dark eyes. “You must have a good sense of humor; otherwise, you wouldn’t be sitting here, waiting on a blind date on Valentine’s Day. You have a warmth that radiates off you, like you’re kind and welcoming. It’s very becoming. And that’s just from the first impression.”
“Thank you.” My smile is tight.
“You don’t take compliments very well.”
“They make me feel uncomfortable,” I tell him honestly.
He chuckles. “You’re modest. That’s attractive as well.” When I answer with nothing but pink cheeks, he continues, “So, back to my question. Why is your sister setting you up?”
“She thinks I’m having a hard time getting over my ex and that if I get out into the dating world, it’ll help me move on. While I appreciate her concern, she couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“Why do you say that?”
Taking a long sip of my coffee, I contemplate on exactly how much I should say. “My ex and I were together for six years, but the last two years were just out of convenience. We had grown apart, and I think we were just comfortable, knowing someone would be home at the end of every night for companionship. We fell out of love but didn’t want to admit it, I guess.”
Jake nods, and from the knowing expression on his face, I feel like he understands. “What happened?”
“He started coming home late from work. Was always on his phone and smiling. I knew he was talking to someone else, and although I probably should have been furious, I wasn’t. He deserved to feel that happiness again, just like I did. I sat him down and suggested we separate. I told him I wasn’t mad or hurt. We had grown in different directions, and one of us had to be the brave one to admit it out loud. That night, he and I talked more than we had in what felt like years, and we knew parting ways was the best for us both.”
“Did he cheat on you?”
“He admitted to having feelings for someone else but said he never acted on them.”
“Did you believe him?”
“Yeah, but it didn’t matter. By that point, I had been emotionally checked out of the relationship for a while. If anything, I was happy to finally stop acting like we hadn’t fallen apart and to move on. I got an apartment and have actually been on a few dates. Contrary to what she believes, I don’t tell my sister everything about my life.”
“Sounds like she means well.”
“She does. It’s coming from a good place, so that’s why I entertained the idea. I just feel like being single isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the world.”
I take a sip of my coffee. It’s just at the right temperature, and a sigh of contentment passes my lips. I glance up to Jake, and he’s watching me with dark eyes. It’s then I realize that I am talking his ear off about my past relationship.
“Wow, I’m sorry. I just unloaded so much information, and you’re practically a stranger.” I move to stand, but Jake stops me.
“Don’t apologize. I was the one who asked the invasive questions. I’m just shocked by the maturity it took to handle the situation the way you did.”
“You know