„No! "Shelby went with the first thing that came to mind, but she saw on the faces of her friends that they were not completely buying that statement. "Shelby!" Caleb's slightly annoyed tone told her more than she wanted to know. She was debating with herself to just up and leave the table, but this was her place, and she couldn't just run away.
Slowly Shelby lifts her eyes again after a while of silence and admits quietly "Maybe I do. Maybe Owen was right about me…" She lets her eyes scan all their faces and when she gets to Caleb's knowing smirk she exclaims.
"It wasn't planned. I just wanted him to respect me. At work," Shelby pushes out of her chair and leaves the room. Now not even caring she'd left her guests alone in her dining room.
Her feet carry her to her bathroom and when she sees her reflection in the mirror the first few tears have started rolling down her cheeks.
Clay had gotten so attentive, even before he broke up with Maxine and it had felt nice.
A soft knock on the door startles Shelby back to reality and that there are more people in the house.
"Shelby?" Alex sounds worried and Shelby knows if she doesn't react her friend will just jimmy open the door so Shelby turns the lock and sinks down onto the floor.
"Ryan and Caleb have left," Alex explains sitting down next to her. "Are you okay? Really?"
After a little while of silence, the two women had relocated to the living room. Both nursing a fresh cool glass of wine.
"So, what are you going to do?" Alex asks again.
Shelby impulsively reaches for her phone and sends a text. Sensing Alex's curious stare she turns over her phone. "I agreed to coffee with Clay. I have to meet with him to sell this and fix the mess he made."
"Are you sure that's a smart plan?"
"I don't know, but I owe it to him. I, I promised him…" Shelby trails off remembering what she really promised right before she staged that night with Caleb.
"Be careful. Remember your past," Alex tells Shelby before hugging her goodbye.
Shortly after Alex has left, Shelby gets a reply from Clay with a time and place. He chose a small, out-of-the-way coffee house. She notices that immediately.
What were his intentions? Now and back when she had first agreed to this coffee.
She chooses a table in the back corner, just out of sight from the entrance but she could see everyone enter. Just minutes later Clay walks in and his face lights up in a small smile when their eyes meet. He still dutifully looks down though after a few moments of holding her gaze.
"I guess we should talk," he breathes out softly while sitting down.