WHERE HIS EYES LINGERED

Chapter 5

MIKE'S POV

The soft hum of the elevator faded as the doors slid open.

I stepped into my apartment, and almost instantly, the lights came to life one after another.

Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the living room, overlooking the city below, where countless lights glittered against the night sky. The space was exactly the way I'd left it that morning

clean lines, muted white walls softened with charcoal accents, warm recessed lighting, and furniture arranged with effortless precision.

The temperature adjusted automatically the moment I walked in, taking the chill out of the air.

I tossed my keys into the ceramic bowl by the entrance before shrugging off my jacket.

"What a day..."

The words slipped out under my breath.

I walked past the living room toward the hallway.

The home gym sat behind a glass wall to my left, untouched since yesterday's workout.

The kitchen, finished in white marble and matte black, looked as though no one had ever used it, though a few fresh herbs rested beside a wooden cutting board on the counter—left there from the dish I'd been experimenting with a couple of nights ago.

I headed upstairs, stripped out of my clothes, and stepped beneath the hot shower.

The warm water rolled over my shoulders, easing the tension that had followed me home.

By the time I stepped out, I felt a little more like myself.

I dried off, pulled on a gray T-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants, then ran a hand through my damp hair before reaching for my phone on the nightstand.

The screen lit up immediately.

A message from Mom.

I smiled faintly before opening it.

Mom: Hope your day wasn't too exhausting. Don't forget to eat, okay? Love you.

The corners of my mouth lifted.

She never failed to check in.

I typed back.

Me: Long day, but I'm okay. Love you too.

I hit send.

I was about to lock my phone when something else caught my attention.

10 Missed Calls.

19 Messages.

I scrolled through them.

Six missed calls were from Chloe.

The remaining four were from an unknown number.

I frowned slightly.

I didn't have to think too hard to know who was behind the unknown number. The messages had Chloe written all over them.

Before I could put my phone down, it started vibrating again.

Chloe Calling...

I watched her name flash across the screen.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

I knew she'd keep calling if I ignored her.

I finally answered.

"Hello?"

"So you finally picked up."

Her voice was calm, almost cautious.

"What do you want, Chloe?"

There was a brief pause.

"I'm back."

"Okay."

"That's all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

She sighed.

"I thought maybe we could talk."

"There isn't anything to talk about."

"Mike..."

Her voice softened.

"I... I miss you."

I closed my eyes for a brief second.

"That's your cross to bear."

The line went quiet.

"I still love you."

My jaw tightened.

"I don't feel that way anymore."

"How can you say that so easily?"

"Because it's the truth."

I took a breath.

"Move on, Chloe."

My voice came out stern.

"I'm not going back to you."

Before she could say anything, I ended the call.

I placed my phone on the kitchen counter and stared at it for a moment before opening the refrigerator.

I wasn't hungry anymore.

But there was a dish I'd been meaning to try.

Maybe I'd make it tonight.

I pushed the refrigerator door closed and looked over the ingredients I'd picked up earlier.

I'd been meaning to try this dish for a while. Tonight seemed like as good a time as any.

I set everything out on the marble counter, rolled up my sleeves, and reached for my phone again.

I scrolled through my playlist until I found something that fit the mood—a smooth track with a high, almost hypnotic vocal that filled the kitchen as soon as I pressed play.

The singer's voice rose softly through the speakers.

“Maybe some hearts don't know they're home,

until another heart makes them feel less alone...”

“Oh-oh, oh-oh...

Maybe we're closer than we know...”

I turned the volume up slightly and went back to cooking.

The knife moved steadily through the vegetables, but somehow, my mind had already wandered somewhere else.

Back beneath that awning.

Back to Elizabeth.

I found myself smiling before I even realized it.

She was pretty.

Too pretty, if I was being honest.

There was something about those slightly narrowed eyes and those warm brown irises that had caught my attention more than they should have. And that smile...

I shook my head, amused at myself.

There was something ridiculously cute about it. Soft, innocent, and almost enough to melt whatever composure I thought I had.

I hadn't expected any of it.

I'd barely spoken to her, yet I could still picture the way she'd looked at me when I called her name. The surprise in her eyes when she realized I actually knew who she was.

And then there was the way she'd looked when I asked her out.

I hadn't planned on asking her out.

Not really

It had just happened.

I'd looked at her, and something in me had simply decided I wanted to see her again.

That was it.

Except...

I hadn't even gotten her number.

I stared at the cutting board for a second, then shook my head with a faint smile.

"Seriously?"

I shook my head, picked up the knife again, and finished preparing the dish.

The music continued in the background, filling the kitchen as I moved between the counter and the stove.

By the time I finally sat down to eat, the rain had eased outside.

The dish turned out better than I'd expected.

I finished the last bite, cleared the plate, and left the kitchen looking almost as neat as I'd found it.

When I got to my room, I changed out of the T-shirt I'd cooked in. It still carried the faint smell of the dish.

I picked up my phone and started scrolling through the notifications I'd ignored earlier.

The usual messages filled the screen.

Compliments. Flirty texts. A few missed calls.

I went through them without much interest, ignoring most of them.

Then I saw the message I'd been ignoring for months now.

My thumb stopped over the screen.

I stared at it for a moment.

Then I set the phone down beside me and leaned back against the headboard.

Whatever it was, I wasn't ready to deal with it tonight.