There's a lingering awkward silence between the three of us after his announcement.

I am still struggling to comprehend this situation, and I stammer, "Derek, what are you doing here?"

His smile starts to dim as he pulls the flowers back towards him and says, "I wanted to surprise you. I hadn't heard from you in so long and, well, I missed you."

In the past, an admission like this from him would have made me melt inside. He was rarely this open about his emotions. The realisation makes me want to approach him but something is holding me back. Like, physically holding me back.

I look down at my hand, and realise that it's still connected with Chris'. My eyes flick up to his and there is the most stoney expression on his face that I've ever seen, and that's including when my sister was literally a stone statue.

I shake my hand a little in his grasp, asking without words for him to let me go, very thankful that my boyfriend couldn't see it behind the bar. He doesn't release me from his grip, if anything he tries to pull me closer. I look at him incredulously and subtly attempt to shake him off harder.

"Who's this?" Derek asks, clearly noticing the tension in the room and how close we are standing.

Crap. "Er, this is Chris," I start awkwardly before adding on, "He's, um, Piper's cousin! He's just here to help out at the bar and I'm showing him the ropes before we open."

I'm not sure if he believes my lie or not as I'm too focused trying to escape from this death grip I'm being held in.

"Hi," Derek says, approaching us slowly and the fear of our hand-holding being discovered makes me extremelyanxious, "I'm Derek, Cassy's boyfriend."

Chris smirks at him as he responds, "Funny, she's never mentioned you before."

That cheeky bastard! I step on his toes, hard, and am finally released from his grip. Serves him right! ..nevermind the fact he was totally telling the truth.

He glares at me, but before he can do or say anything more I quickly make my way over to my boyfriend and accept the flowers from him, "You really didn't have to do this for me," I say as I smell the flowers he bought.

Derek clearly looks awkward and curious about the exchange I had shared with another man, but decides not to question it. Yet. "I wanted to," he says with his signature charming smile, "I was worried about you Cassy, I hadn't heard from you in over two weeks."

I blush, realising that after my phone broke I had never added his number, or tried to contact him, or even thought about him at all. I am such a bad girlfriend. "Oh, um, my phone broke. I'm sorry I didn't let you know, I've just been so busy with work and all..." the excuse sounds so fake even to my own ears.

"I can see that," he murmers, looking over my shoulder. I dread to think of the satisfied grin Chris may or may not be shooting him right now. His eyes come back to mine and he says, "Let's go, I have a wonderful hotel booked for us. I stayed there last night and it is worth the cost let me tell you."

He puts an arm around me and tries to lead me out the door but I slide from under his grip and protest without thinking, "I really shouldn't go, I have to work in-" I check my phone and try not to let my eyes pop from my head as I realise "-two hours. I've still got so much to do here."

I can feel the disappointment in his eyes, and it makes me squirm with guilt. "Surely they can survive one night without you? After all isn't that what you're training this boy for?"

I hear a snap sound from the bar. What was that?

I want to turn to look before I can Derek puts his hand under my chin to hold it in place and continues, "Please Cassidy, I've already been in the city for two days now, and there's so much I want to discuss with you. Can't we just spend one proper night together?"

I feel nothing. There is no spark, no tingle at his touch. Just heavy, slimy, cold guilt. And that's enough to make me nod my head. "Chris, can you tell Piper I won't be able to make it in tonight?" I say without looking.

I wish I could say the pleased smile that comes to my boyfriends face is worth it, but the scoff I hear from behind me is much more impactful.

"Tell her yourself," Chris says angrily and noisily goes back to his bedroom.

I feel the strange urge to follow him, to hold him and make him feel better, maybe even pick up where we left off just a few minutes ago. But I ignore it.

The guilt is overwhelming as I take Derek's arm, and I'm not sure what I feel guilty about anymore.