At Home

HARUTO

I drive home, but I don't remember the drive. My hands grip the steering wheel and my mind is still back in that coffee shop. Still seeing her face. Still hearing her voice.

My heart is beating. Really beating. For the first time in years, it feels like something kicked it awake. Like someone flipped a switch and the power came back on.

She has that effect on me. Always did.

I pull into my underground garage and park. Sit there for a minute. Stare at nothing.

I've been looking for her. Six years of looking. Checking faces in crowds. Searching online. Hiring people to dig. Nothing. She just vanished. And slowly, I started to give up. Started to accept that maybe I'd never see her again.

Then tonight. A tiny coffee shop in the East Village. A bell above the door. And there she was.

I head to the elevator. Press the button for my floor. The ride up is too fast and too slow at the same time.

She's here. In my city. I saw her. Touched her. Hugged her stiff, awkward goodbye.

I was happy. Genuinely happy. Not the fake smile I wear at meetings. Not the polite nod I give at events. Real happiness. It felt strange in my chest. Foreign. But good.

The elevator doors open. I walk into my penthouse. It's dark. Empty. Quiet. Always quiet.

I go straight to the bar. Grab a glass. Pour two fingers of whiskey. Don't even taste it as it burns down my throat.

I walk to the window. The one facing east. Toward her neighborhood.

I know which direction her building is. I checked when I got home. Memorized the streets. Counted the blocks. She's over there somewhere. Probably getting ready for bed. Probably not thinking about me the way I'm thinking about her.

I sip more whiskey.

I found her. After six years of silence and searching and almost giving up, I found her.

Now I'm not going to lose her again.

I don't know if she'll forgive me. Don't know if she can. She said she waited. Said she's happy to see me. But I saw the hurt in her eyes. Felt it in that stiff hug.

Doesn't matter. I'll earn her back. Day by day. Apology by apology. Whatever it takes.

This has to be fate. Her being here. In my city. Blocks from my apartment. After all this time.

Fate brought her back.

And I'm not letting fate fuck me over again.

I raise my glass to the window. To her. Wherever she is.

"Found you," I whisper.

The whiskey burns. The city glows. And somewhere out there, Paige is sleeping.

I'll see her again tomorrow.

I'll keep seeing her until she remembers why she loved me.

And then I'll never let go.

— — —

PAIGE

I'm barely out of the shower when Sadie starts yelling from the living room.

"Paige! Get your ass out here! The coffee does not take that long!"

I wrap my hair in a towel and pad out in my robe. She's sprawled on the couch, legs crossed, phone in her hand. The second she sees me, her eyes go wide.

"Why are you smiling like an idiot?"

I am. Smiling like an idiot. I can't stop. My cheeks actually hurt.

I flop down next to her and grab a pillow to hug. "Sadie. Something happened."

"Obviously. You look high. Tell me everything."

I take a breath. Where do I even start?

"I went to Mrs. Chen's after work. Like I always do. Got my usual. Turned around to sit down and—" I pause, just to build suspense. "The door chimed. I dropped my cup. It went everywhere."

Sadie leans forward. "You dropped your drink? You never drop your drink. What—"

"Haruto walked in."

She freezes. "Wait. Haruto Haruto? The one from Tokyo? The ghost?"

"That Haruto." I nod. "He's here, Sadie. In New York. He walked into that coffee shop like it was nothing. Like six years didn't pass."

"No." She shakes her head. "No way. You're messing with me."

"I'm not. I swear."

She stares at me for a long second. Then she squeals. Actually squeals and grabs my arm. "Oh my god! What happened? What did he say? Is he ugly? Tell me he's ugly."

"He's not ugly." I laugh. "Sadie, he's... he's like a Greek god now. Taller. Broader. Wearing this expensive suit. His jaw could cut glass."

"Ugh." She falls back against the couch. "Of course he's hot. Of course."

I tell her everything. The spilled drink. Him crouching to look at my wet shoes. Mrs. Chen calling him a gentleman. The hours of talking. Him driving me home.

"And get this," I say. "He lives in Tribeca. A penthouse. A few blocks from here."

Sadie's eyes go wide. "Wait. The man you flew across the country to find lives blocks away? And you just found him now?"

"The world is small and huge at the same time." I shake my head. "I don't understand it."

She grins. "Remember what I said at lunch? About your life getting interesting?"

I groan. "Don't you dare."

"I told you! I told you to keep your fingers crossed!" She throws her hands up. "Paige, this is fate. This is literally fate."

"It might be." I hug the pillow tighter. "I don't know yet. We exchanged numbers. He said he'd call."

"Of course he'll call. Look at you." She pokes my arm. "You're adorable. Even with wet hair."

I laugh. "Thanks. I think."

We talk for another hour. She asks a million questions. I answer them all. By the time I'm yawning, it's almost eleven.

"I'm heading to bed," I say, standing up. "Long day."

"Long amazing day." She wiggles her eyebrows. "Dream about the Greek god."

I roll my eyes and head to my room.

I grab my phone from the nightstand. Might as well set an alarm.

The screen lights up.

Five missed calls. A text.

My jaw drops.

Sadie appears in my doorway. "What? Why does your mouth look like that?"

I can't speak. I just hold up the phone.

She reads the screen over my shoulder.

Marcus: Hey Paige. I know it's been over a year. I know I messed up. But I'm back in the city now and I can't stop thinking about you. Can we talk? I want to try again. For real this time.

Sadie whispers, "Oh shit."

I just stare at the words. Marcus. My ex. The one who picked business over love. He wants to try again.

Haruto returns. Marcus texts. In one night.

Sadie pats my shoulder. "Told you. Interesting."

I don't know what to feel. Overwhelmed. Happy. Confused. Scared. Something else I can't name.

"I'm going to bed," I mumble

.

"Good luck sleeping." Sadie grins and disappears.

I climb under the covers and stare at the ceiling.

Haruto is blocks away. Marcus wants me back.

My life was boring this morning.

Now I don't know what it is.