First Jealous Moment
1486 Words
A week had passed. Amelia barely slept.
After Damian's phone call, she had spent hours staring at her bedroom ceiling, listening to the sound of rain against the windows.
Five years.
Five entire years.
Not a birthday card.
Not a phone call.
Not a single attempt to check on Lily.
And now he was back.
Just like that.
As though he had every right to step into their lives whenever it suited him.
The anger simmering inside her chest kept sleep far away.
Beside her, Lily slept peacefully, clutching a stuffed dinosaur Adrian had won for her at the town fair some days earlier.
The sight softened Amelia's expression.
Whatever happened next, she would protect her daughter. No matter what. No matter who she had to fight.
The following morning, Willowbrook was bright and sunny, as though the storm had never happened.
Amelia wished she could say the same about herself.
She was exhausted. Every nerve felt stretched tight.
The café opened at seven. By eight, she was already regretting leaving her bed.
"You look tired."
Amelia looked up from the espresso machine.
Mrs. Henderson sat at her usual table.
The elderly woman narrowed her eyes.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
Mrs. Henderson snorted. "That's a lie."
Amelia forced a smile. "I'm fine."
The older woman clearly didn't believe her.
Thankfully, the bell above the door chimed before she could continue questioning.
Amelia glanced up. And immediately froze.
Damian Cross walked into her café.
For a second, the entire room seemed to stop.
He looked almost exactly the same. Dark hair, expensive suit, perfect posture.
The effortless confidence of a man accustomed to getting whatever he wanted.
Only now he looked older. Sharper. Harder.
The years had been kind to him, unfortunately.
Amelia's stomach twisted. She hated that seeing him still affected her.
Hated that memories came rushing back despite everything.
The promise, the lies, the heartbreak.
Damian's gaze immediately found hers.
A smile appeared on his face. As though he had every reason to expect a warm welcome.
"As beautiful as ever."
Amelia's jaw tightened.
Several customers looked between them curiously.
This was exactly what she didn't need.
"What are you doing here?"
His smile faltered slightly.
Straight to the point.
That was new.
"I wanted to see you."
"You've had five years."
A few customers openly pretended not to listen.
Mrs. Henderson wasn't even pretending. She looked delighted.
Damian ignored the comment.
"I think we should talk."
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Firm.
Final.
His eyes narrowed.
"We need to discuss Lily."
The mention of her daughter sent a protective instinct surging through Amelia.
"You don't get to use her name as if you've earned that right."
Something flashed across Damian's expression.
Guilt.
Perhaps.
Or maybe irritation.
It disappeared too quickly to tell.
"Amelia—"
"No."
She placed both hands on the counter.
"You left."
Silence settled across the café.
"You walked away."
His jaw clenched.
"I made mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
A bitter laugh escaped her.
"Forgetting an anniversary is a mistake."
The café had become so quiet that even the coffee machine seemed afraid to make noise.
"Abandoning your pregnant girlfriend isn't a mistake."
Damian looked genuinely uncomfortable.
Good. As he should.
"Can we please discuss this somewhere private?"
"No."
Again, firm, unmovable.
Because she had spent years finding her voice. She refused to lose it now.
The café door opened.
And Adrian walked inside.
Amelia almost laughed at the timing.
Almost.
Because the moment Adrian spotted Damian, something shifted.
Subtle. But unmistakable.
His relaxed posture stiffened. His eyes sharpened.
And for the first time since Amelia had met him, she saw something dangerous beneath his easygoing charm.
Damian noticed him too.
The two men studied each other.
Neither speaking.
Neither smiling.
The air suddenly felt heavier.
"What did I walk into?" Adrian asked lightly.
Amelia released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Damian looked between them.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And something ugly appeared in his expression.
Suspicion.
"Who's this?"
The question was directed at Amelia. But Adrian answered.
"Adrian."
He stepped beside the counter.
Not touching Amelia.
Not claiming territory.
Yet somehow his presence felt protective. Intentional.
Damian noticed.
Of course, he noticed.
"And you are?"
The businessman extended a hand. "Damian Cross."
Adrian shook it.
The handshake lasted exactly two seconds.
Yet somehow it felt like a duel.
Neither man looked away. Neither smiled.
Amelia wanted to bang her head against the nearest wall.
Men.
Honestly.
Finally, Damian released his hand.
His gaze returned to Amelia.
"I'll come back later."
"Don't." She answered almost instantly.
A muscle jumped in Damian's jaw.
For a brief moment, the pleasant mask slipped.
Revealing the controlling man she remembered.
Then it disappeared.
"So that's it?"
"That's it."
His eyes moved to Adrian one final time.
Then he turned and left.
The bell chimed softly behind him.
The café immediately exploded into whispers.
Mrs. Henderson practically vibrated with excitement.
Amelia groaned.
By noon, she was ready to throw herself into the ocean.
Preferably somewhere very deep.
The gossip had already spread through half of Willowbrook.
Apparently Damian was now:
A secret husband.
A billionaire criminal.
A movie producer.
And according to one particularly imaginative customer, a spy.
Small towns were exhausting.
After the lunch rush ended, Amelia stepped outside for fresh air.
The harbor sparkled beneath the afternoon sun.
Fishing boats drifted gently across the water.
Normally, the view calmed her.
Today it did nothing.
"You okay?"
Adrian stood beside her.
Two cups of coffee in his hands.
He offered one.
Amelia accepted it gratefully.
"No."
At least she was honest.
Adrian nodded.
"I figured."
For a moment, neither spoke.
The sea breeze played with her hair.
Farther down the street, children laughed near the docks.
Life continued.
Despite everything.
"Was that him?"
Amelia looked up.
"What?"
"Lily's father."
The question was gentle.
Careful.
She appreciated that.
"Yes."
Adrian's expression darkened slightly.
Not much.
Just enough for her to notice.
"He seems unpleasant."
That made her laugh.
A real laugh.
Unexpected.
"That's one way to describe him."
Adrian smiled.
The sight eased some of the tension inside her chest.
Just a little.
"He hurt you."
The certainty in his voice surprised her.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
Their eyes met.
And once again, Amelia felt that dangerous pull.
That impossible sense of being understood.
Seen.
For a second, she forgot everything else.
The harbor.
The café.
The town.
Everything.
Then a female voice interrupted.
"Adrian!"
Both of them turned.
A young woman hurried across the street.
Beautiful.
Tall.
Blonde.
The kind of woman who looked like she belonged on magazine covers.
Amelia immediately disliked herself for noticing.
The woman reached Adrian and smiled brightly.
"I've been looking everywhere for you."
Amelia blinked.
Looking for him?
Adrian looked surprised.
"Gwen?"
"You remember me."
His smile appeared.
Warm.
Familiar.
Far too familiar.
Something unpleasant twisted inside Amelia's stomach.
The feeling caught her completely off guard.
The woman laughed.
"Of course he remembers me."
She lightly touched Adrian's arm.
The gesture was innocent.
Friendly.
Yet Amelia couldn't stop staring at it.
And suddenly she understood exactly what she was feeling.
Jealousy.
Pure.
Ridiculous.
Completely unreasonable jealousy.
The realization horrified her.
Because she had absolutely no claim on Adrian.
None whatsoever.
He wasn't hers.
They weren't dating.
They had never even discussed their feelings.
Yet watching another woman smile at him felt surprisingly awful.
"Amelia?"
She realized both of them were looking at her.
Wonderful.
"Sorry. I should get back to work."
The excuse sounded weak.
Even to her.
Before Adrian could respond, she turned and headed back toward the café.
Her heart pounded the entire way.
Inside, she immediately busied herself cleaning tables that didn't need cleaning.
Then rearranging napkins.
Then wiping an already spotless counter.
Anything to avoid thinking.
Unfortunately, thinking happened anyway.
Who was Gwen?
An old friend?
An ex-girlfriend?
Someone from Adrian's past?
The questions multiplied.
Each one making her mood worse.
A few minutes later, Lily ran into the café from the back room.
"Mommy?"
"What?"
The little girl frowned.
"Why do you look grumpy?"
"I don't."
"You do."
Children were honestly terrifying.
Lily tilted her head.
"Is it because Adrian is talking to the pretty lady outside?"
Amelia nearly dropped a tray.
"What?"
Lily nodded seriously.
"I saw them."
The child studied her face.
Then suddenly she gasped.
Her eyes widened.
And Amelia immediately knew she was in trouble.
"Oh."
"No."
"Ohhhhh."
"Lily."
"You like him."
Amelia covered her face with both hands.
Because somehow the worst part was that Lily wasn't wrong.
Not anymore.
And outside, completely unaware of the chaos he had created, Adrian smiled at something Gwen said.
A smile Amelia suddenly wished was directed at her.
The realization settled heavily in her chest.
For the first time since meeting Adrian Valmont...
She wasn't merely attracted to him.
She was falling for him.
And that was far more dangerous than jealousy.
- Writer
