A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN

Monday morning arrived far too quickly.

The moment I walked into my office, Sarah looked up from her desk.

"There she is."

Sophie spun around in her chair.

"We've been waiting."

I frowned.

"For what?"

"The gossip."

I laughed despite myself.

"You two are unbelievable."

Sarah folded her arms.

"What happened after the party?"

"Did your boyfriend punch your ex?"

"Did you punch your ex?"

"Did security throw everyone out?"

I dropped into my chair and rubbed my forehead.

"None of the above."

They exchanged disappointed looks.

"Boring."

"It wasn't boring."

I told them everything.

Zephyr taking me home.

The flowers.

The argument.

Calling Abe that morning.

Calling Zephyr afterward.

Neither of them interrupted once.

When I finished, Sarah let out a long breath.

"I'm proud of you."

I blinked.

"For what?"

"You finally told Abe where the line is."

Sophie nodded.

"You needed to."

"I know."

Sarah reached across the desk and squeezed my hand.

"But now..."

She gave me a meaningful look.

"...you actually have to keep that line there."

I looked out through the glass walls of my office.

Somewhere in this building...

Abe was probably already working.

Probably already thinking about me.

For the first time since he'd walked back into my life...

I realized something.

Drawing a line was easy.

Making sure no one crossed it...

That was going to be much harder.

Abe's pov---

Monday couldn't have arrived fast enough.

Not because I was eager to work.

Because I knew I'd see her.

After our phone call yesterday, I hadn't slept much.

Her words playing in my head all night.

"You lost that privilege years ago."

"Forget about us."

Easy for her to say.

Impossible for me to do.

I stepped out of the elevator with a cup of black coffee in one hand and my tablet in the other.

The joint office was already buzzing with activity.

Employees moving through the hallways carrying files and laptops while conversations buzzing from every direction.

I barely made it halfway down the corridor before I saw her.

Diane.

She stood outside one of the meeting rooms with Sarah and Sophie.

The three of them were laughing about something.

For a moment...

I simply watched.

She looked lighter today.

Still beautiful.

Still completely out of my league.

I started walking toward them.

Sarah noticed me first.

The smile immediately disappeared from her face.

"Oh, you've got some nerve."

Diane turned.

Our eyes met.

For just a second.

Then Sophie looked over her shoulder.

Her expression hardened.

"Abe."

"Morning."

Neither of them answered.

I stopped a few feet away.

"I actually wanted to"

"You wanted to what?" Sarah cut in.

"Send more flowers?"

The sarcasm was impossible to miss.

"I wanted to apologize."

Sophie laughed.

"That's funny."

"I'm serious."

Sarah crossed her arms.

"You know what your problem is?"

I stayed quiet.

"You think every grand gesture erases years of being a terrible person."

I felt every word.

"I know I hurt her."

"Hurt her?" Sarah scoffed.

"You destroyed her confidence."

Sophie stepped forward.

"You made her feel like she wasn't enough."

"I know."

"No," Sophie snapped.

"I don't think you do."

People had started slowing down in the hallway.

Watching.

Listening.

I hated causing a scene.

Apparently they didn't care.

Sarah wasn't finished.

"You're a narcissist."

I blinked.

"You only started chasing her after she became successful."

"That's not true."

"Really?"

She laughed bitterly.

"Where was all this effort when she cried herself to sleep because of the things you said?"

Every word hit harder than the last.

Because there wasn't much I could argue with.

I had been cruel.

Selfish.

Immature.

"I deserve that."

"You deserve worse."

"Sarah."

Diane's voice finally cut through the argument.

Firm.

Calm.

Sarah looked at her.

"So do you."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not."

Diane gently touched Sarah's arm.

"I'll handle it."

Sarah looked like she wanted to argue.

Instead, she sighed dramatically.

"You have five minutes."

Sophie pointed at me.

"If she cries, I'm blaming you."

Then the two of them walked away, though they kept glancing back every few seconds.

I watched them disappear around the corner before looking at Diane.

"I'm sorry."

She folded her arms.

"For which part?"

"...Everything."

A sad smile crossed her face.

"That's a very long list."

"I know."

Silence settled between us.

I hated silence.

"I meant what I said yesterday."

"I know."

"I don't want any more misunderstandings with Zephyr."

"I understand."

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"There isn't anything I can say here that would sound sincere."

She waited.

"So..."

I took a breath.

"Would you have lunch with me?"

She frowned immediately.

"Abe."

"Just hear me out."

"I already have."

"No."

I shook my head.

"You've heard apologies."

"I haven't actually explained anything."

Her expression remained unreadable.

"We've got the strategy meeting after this."

I nodded.

"If afterward...if you still don't want to..."

I forced myself to finish.

"...I'll respect that."

She studied me.

Long enough to make me nervous.

"I'll think about it."

It wasn't yes.

But it wasn't no.

Somehow...

That felt like progress.

—--

The strategy meeting started twenty minutes later.

Normally, Diane and I worked together effortlessly.

Today...

Everything felt off.

Every time I suggested something, she answered professionally.

Briefly.

Never looking at me longer than necessary.

Whenever our hands almost brushed reaching for the same document...

She pulled away first.

The distance was obvious.

Painfully obvious.

"So..."

One of the senior analysts, Ben, looked between us.

"Random question."

Every head turned toward him.

"Were you two always this awkward?"

The room went completely silent.

I resisted the urge to close my eyes.

Ben looked confused.

"What?"

Another colleague coughed.

Someone else suddenly found their notebook fascinating.

Diane cleared her throat.

"We're discussing the Morrison proposal."

Ben blinked.

"...Right."

Nobody said another word.

Marcus, who had joined remotely, muted his microphone just long enough to laugh.

I made a mental note to fire him as a friend.

The rest of the meeting dragged by.

Professional.

Efficient.

Painfully formal.

And somehow...

That hurt more than if she'd yelled at me.

Because this version of Diane treated me like any other business partner.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

When the meeting finally ended, everyone began filing out.

I packed my laptop slowly.

Almost expecting her to leave too.

Instead...

She stopped beside me.

"I have an hour."

I looked up.

"What?"

"Lunch."

For a second I forgot how to speak.

"You'll come?"

She nodded once.

"But don't misunderstand."

"I won't."

"This isn't a date."

"I know."

"This is your chance to apologize."

"I understand."

"And after today..."

She looked directly into my eyes.

"...I don't want you bringing me gifts anymore."