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Isla’s phone vibrated on her desk at work. <<Coffee?>> Dave’s text said simply, and Isla answered in kind.
<<K. Courthouse Cafe, 4:30?>>
<<See you there.>>
It had been a long time since their last cup of coffee. They would have missed each other if they’d taken time to, but their hearts were both so full just then. Isla nervously imagined telling him about her relationship with Danny, wondering how he’d take it, or whether he already knew or suspected.
However, when she came into the cafe, it was clear at once that Dave’s mind was not on her love life, or her problems, or her at all. His usually neat appearance was even neater, impossibly crisp. It looked like he had ironed his t-shirts and maybe his socks. Was it for his own satisfaction or somebody else’s? Or did he somehow need extra confidence today? She started sending out feelers.
“How’s business?” She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Good, good,” he said absently. So that wasn’t it. She’d ask for more concrete figures later.
“Hungry?” she asked as the barista put a piece of coffee cake in front of them and assured Isla that her latte would be right out. Dave never actually had coffee when they went out for coffee. He pulled an organic tea bag, tulsi and rosehip this time, out of his wallet.
“Starved,” he said, but he made no move with his fork and looked at the cake as though confused as to what it was and why it was there. Isla wondered why he hadn’t ordered his usual fruit cup. “I think I missed lunch.” He grinned suddenly, to himself, and even laughed a little. Isla scowled, not liking to be left out of an inside joke.
“Dave, what the frig is wrong with you?” He was staring at the vintage black cat clock on the wall behind her head, its tail and eyes going back and forth. “Are you sick? Aren’t you sleeping well?”
“Sleeping great,” he said, and he snapped his focus back to her, still grinning strangely, much like the cat clock itself. Although his joy was genuine, he suddenly became serious again. “Isla, do you know if that house you showed me when I first moved here is still available? You know, for the studio.”
“I have no idea,” she said in confusion, annoyed that Dave was keeping something from her. “I would doubt it after all this time, though. Why on earth? You wouldn’t move the studio now, would you? You’ve put so much work into it.”
“Not the studio, no. But I am thinking about moving. I’m—we’re—trying to save up a bit and there might be a program that can help us, if I could just get a little place like that.”
Isla sighed with some relief, still eyeing him doubtfully. “Leave Kim and Phil?”
“I know, I know, I’ll miss them. It’s a fine little place, a little spartan, but comfortable for one. But we need a home, and I think it would be healthier for her away from the old neighborhood.”
“Her?” Isla raised an eyebrow, not really asking but wanting him to have to answer.
“Lacey.”
“Oh . . . I thought you wanted a place for you.”
“I do. For us.”
Isla stared at him silently in confusion. He looked back and slowly raised his mug to his lips with both hands and took a leisurely sip until she finally noticed the silicone ring.
“I . . . what? I don’t understand.”
“We’re married.” The goofy grin returned to Dave’s face. Isla’s brow was still wrinkled in confusion.
“Married? Wh . . . what did your dad say?”
“He’s thrilled!”
Many thoughts collided violently in Isla’s mind: Why was she excluded from this special event? Was Lacey clean now? Had Dave lost his mind? “Well, that’s pretty dumb, Dave.”
“Most people stick with congratulations,” he said, hurt but not entirely surprised. “You should write Hallmark cards.”
She didn’t crack a smile. “Why would you do this?”
“Why do you suppose, Isla? You’re familiar with the concept of marriage, aren’t you? I’ll give you a clue—it’s not to form an alliance between two kingdoms.”
“I honestly can’t think of a reasonable explanation.”
Dave clenched his jaw briefly, but said evenly, “You’re a real romantic, Isla.”
“You’re not saying you love her.”
“Of course I’m saying I love her.”
“This is insane.”
“I apologize for my love not running along strictly rational lines.” Dave looked as near to anger as she’d ever seen him, though it didn’t compare to her wrathful outbursts when she, say, got stuck in traffic or stubbed her toe.
“I just don’t understand it.”
“Well, Isla, I don’t want to dissect my marriage with you. I’m not even sure I could explain our own friendship. Could you? I value you. I like you. But I don’t know that I can explain it. I love Lacey. I chose her. That’s all you need to know.”
Isla shook her head for a long time before finally saying, “Do you really want a house, or was that just a way to drop this bomb?”
“I really want a house.”
Isla reluctantly picked up her phone. “Is there some reason you can’t use Zillow by yourself?”
“You know what Isla . . . no. There’s no reason why I can’t. I thought I’d tap the expertise of a friend, but forget it. I’m good.”
He didn’t sound like himself, and Isla was disconcerted. “Wait, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m just . . . I’m stunned, Dave. That’s all there is to it. You’re kind of dropping a bombshell . . .”
“You thought from day one that there was something between her and I. How much of a shock can this be?”
“Yeah, but . . . I don’t know, I hadn’t heard anything lately. I don’t know . . . I guess I thought it was in the past, you’d gotten over it, she’d moved on. I don’t know.”
“Well, that’s not how it is. But she’s doing great, she really is.” Isla’s face looked skeptical, but she bit her tongue. “So you’re perfect, is that it? You deserve love and she doesn’t?”
So he did know about Danny. Well, Kim would have had a hard time not mentioning it. “Of course not. Far from it.” They sipped silently for several moments, avoiding eye contact. Dave sighed and waited for her to say she was sorry but she didn’t.
“I miss you, Isla. We want you to be a part of our lives.”
“I feel like I don’t even know you now.”
“Can’t we fix that?”
Isla let the question hang in the air before muttering, “Yes, I guess so.”
“Good. Hey, now that you’ve heard my big news . . . what’s going on with you?” Dave made a bid at bringing them back into harmony.
“Well . . . oh hey! Of course!” Dave looked at her quizzically. “You know that I’m . . . well, I’m seeing Danny Fisher?”
“I hear things.” Dave nodded, still not quite back to his usual ready smile.
“So, he has a house for rent . . . well, that is to say, he’ll be renting it sometime, maybe soon. It still needs a lot of work. Maybe he’d cut you a break on rent if you could do some of it?”
“Hmm . . . sounds interesting. I guess it would depend on the work, but could be promising.”
“Truce?” Isla extended her hand. Still no apology, but Dave chose to ignore that.
“Only on the condition that you and Danny will come to our place for supper soon.”
“Name the date.” They shook hands a little awkwardly; now that they each found themselves part of a couple it was like getting to know a new person. Seeing Dave had reminded Isla how much she had liked him right off the bat. Surely that Dave was still around? Maybe she could somehow, someday, figure out what he saw in Lacey? She decided to give it a try.
Next Chapter out July 11, 2025!
Copyright 2025 Jennie Robertson
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