"Moments of kindness and reconciliation are worth having, even if the parting has to come sooner or later."
― Alice Munro.

Chloe's POV.

"Just don't let him fuck with your head like last time okay?"

"I promise, I'll be just fine and Lance, please stop worrying so much," I rub my hand over my face. I didn't realize how much Lance cared until last night, he sure was there through it all but was never this expressive.

"Take care beautiful, I've got work to get to,"

"Take care of yourself too. Bye,"

"Bye," biting my lower lip, I hang up on the call. I'm going to miss this guy too now, "Was that Lance?"

I almost jump on my seat before looking up to meet Zach's gaze. His hair all messy but making him look like a kid and his blue eyes make my breath catch in my throat. He stands there shirtless making my heart go fucking wild and I tear my gaze away from his, "Yeah,"

I stand up turning on the espresso machine for his mug of coffee and get my thoughts in control. Dan's decision to leave us to talk alone was surely better cause the fucking tension would've been unbearable, "Here you go,"

Placing the mug of coffee in front of him, I ignore his gaze before getting a pill out of the bottle of Advil, "Thank you,"

His voice is barely a whisper as he walks around to sit next to me, I grab his hand and place the pill on his palm. I finally look up as he swallowed the Advil silently before washing it down with the water, "I'm sorry,"

I glare at him one last time before walking away to fill Snowy's bowl with food for him, "You recognize me fella?" I hear Zach talking to Snowy making my heart clench.

We adopted Snowy together for god's sake, turning around I see Zach laugh as he plays with Snowy. An unplanned smile cracks on my face looking at the both of them and Zach looks up grinning, "He recognizes me,"

I shake my head unable to wipe off the smile on my face, "Stop giving me that face, I'm still mad at you,"

Reminding him, I walk closer, "I know," was all he said before his grin reduced into a small smile making me sigh. Snowy leaves us and heads to his now refilled bowl of food and I take a seat next to Zach.

"What the hell were you thinking last night?" I question him closing my eyes shut as I could feel my headache make it's way back again, "Can we not talk about it right now please?"

I look up to meet his pleading eyes, "How do I know, you wouldn't just ditch me like last time and leave?"

"Because I'm back to stay, sugar."

"Don't call me that. Only my best friend got to call me that, you're not the same person anymore," I say as I feel my eyes prickling with tears while his hand reaches out to mine.

He forces me to look at him, "Chloe, please give me a chance to fix things,"

I shake my head blinking away the tears, "Fix it like you did last night?" his hand drops onto his lap as he sighs not meeting my gaze, "That letter... that'd have saved this mess,"

"What do you mean?" I ask not looking away from him, "I-I wrote that I'd be back as a better person Chloe,"

I slap my forehead letting out a dry laugh, "Seriously dumbass? Do you think that would've stopped me from being mad at you? Did you really think, I would just be okay with you leaving me hanging even if you left behind a fucking letter?"

Getting off the stool, I look away from him unable to control my tears anymore, "There is a lot more to that letter damn it!" he mutters under his breath before I could feel him walking closer to me.

His strong arms wrap around my body with his chest against my back making me break down. I do that one thing, I promised myself not to do, "Chloe, stop crying please,"

His voice cracks as he forces me to turn around to face him, "You look like shit," an unexpected giggle escapes my lips as he smiles before wiping away my never-ending tears. How could I smile through these tears?!

"I know, I know I hurt you, sugar. I fucked up and I realized that a little too late but you do know how much of a dumbass I am, don't you?" I chuckle at his choice of words.

"I knew you were a dumbass but never realized how much of a jerk you could be," I sigh tearing myself away from his embrace that I've been longing for so long. I immediately miss his arms but try not to make it obvious.

"Do you even remember that I slapped you last night?" I ask him curious still feeling guilty about it, "Thanks for that, I guess."

That surprises me and I look up at him to find him making his way back to the counter before grabbing the coffee, "Just spend the day with me, please? We'll talk about everything else tomorrow,"

"What is wrong with you? How can you just behave as if nothing happened?"

"You already know the answer sugar, I missed you,"

"Oh right, you've got an interesting way to show it," I say sarcastically, resting my head on the counter. My heart tightens as the image of him making out with that blonde last night crosses my mind, "And don't you have a girlfriend to get to? Some blonde you were almost fucking at the party before you decided on getting drunk?"

The distaste in my voice is evident as I wait for an answer but open my eyes to find Zach peeping from under my arms, "What?"

He shrugs with an annoying smirk making me roll my eyes, "I don't have a girlfriend sugar and that was Anise who tried throwing herself at me last night,"

"Interesting how you don't have a girlfriend and just so you know, I fucking hated you even more for leaving all your exes for me to deal with," I glare at him but on the inside, there was a happiness that bubbled knowing that he had no girlfriend. You are being outright pathetic right now, Chloe.

I'm just letting myself feel the light in the fucking darkness so it's not pathetic. I shut the voice in my head before standing up to grab the carton of milk from the fridge feeling the hunger get me, "Again, I'm sorry for that too,"

I hear him chuckle while I grab the carton and try to ignore the letter stuck to it. Out of all those times that I could've opened it, I feel the need to open it now. Stupid Chloe.

"This is my favorite," my heart skips a beat as I feel Zach standing close to me with his hand extending over my shoulder, touching a photo of both of us, "You should stop startling me this way,"

My voice barely a whisper as I stand there in front of him almost trapped, "I'm sorry," his apology is barely a whisper and clearly not addressing the present. His fingers trace the photograph of both of us from grad school. I bite my lower lip trying not to express the effect he was having on me especially while addressing the good old days.

"Froot loops?" I ask him turning my head a little to look at him in an attempt to break the tension, "Always,"

He grins before kissing my hair and stepping back, I missed that too - the comforting kiss he placed on my forehead. Ignoring the rush of feelings, I move away from him to grab two bowls for our breakfast.

I turn around to see him typing away on his phone while his well defined back faces me, damn Zach. Placing the bowls and the carton of milk on the counter, I hop onto my barstool before filling our bowls with milk, "I informed Mr. Phillip that they'll have to work without me today,"

"So, that way I've got the whole day to spend with you," I raise an eyebrow as he pours in the cereal into our bowls with an evident smile dancing on his lips, "Just like that?"

"Perks of being the boss, sugar," he says before diving into his bowl of cereal, "It's just been what? A month? You can't be that irresponsible already," I point out before stuffing a spoonful of the cereal into my mouth.

"I've got you to remind me not to be irresponsible, you know? And knowing how mad you could get at me, I don't think I'll let this opportunity to spend the day with you, slip," I shake my head smiling unconsciously.

Maybe, just maybe I could forget everything and spend the day with my best friend.

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