The Artist's Amour (BWWM) ✓

Chapter 33: The Café

Nick is my spirit animal.

Aria's POV

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." Chris reminded me, as he helped wrap my scarf around the inside of my coat collar.

"Yes We do, Chris." I replied, sighing while Nick ran around my legs like he was a race car and I was his obstacle track.

"Whatchya doing there, bud?" Chris asked after some time. This is what happens when you give a kid some early Halloween candy.

"Does it really matter, father?" Nick asked, taking a seat by my feet as he struck a thinking pose while glancing off into the horizon. "Does anything really matter?"

"Jesus, his sugar high has stages? It's like we got him drunk or something." I joked with Chris.

"Yeah, we just witnessed his first candy bar hyper stage, and now he's on his second lollipop psychological thought process." Chris explained, picking Nick up from my path and placing him on the couch. "Anyways, we should head out soon. We told Jake to meet us at the cafe around 4."

"Yeah, we've got about 15 minutes." I nodded, glancing at my watch.

"Alright bud, you know the drill. Pete's in the office down the hallway if you need anything. Try not to disturb him. We'll hopefully be back before dinner, but until then, Behave ya little brat." Chris grinned, tickling Nick's sides.

"But to behave, or not to behave..." Nick replied, striking another thinking pose with a lollipop in his mouth, "...that is the real question, my father."

"Bye kid." Chris rolled his eyes, as he opened up the penthouse elevator for the both of us.

"Goodbye, Henry!" Nick called sadly, waving his candy wrapper like it was a handkerchief, "I shall miss you dearly, my sweet sweet boy!"

"Who's Henry?" I laughed, as the elevator jerked to life.

"I couldn't tell you." Chris replied honestly, rubbing his temples. We both laughed again, before he slid his hand into mine and walked us down towards the garage, where he parked his car. I felt my phone buzz inside my pocket as we slid into the comfy seats and he started the engine. It was a text from Jake.

Jake: "I'll be at the address in 5 minutes. Would you like me to knock or ring the bell?"

I replied: "neither, the address I sent you was for a cafe in town. We'll be there soon."

I glanced up from my phone as we pulled out of the parking garage and back onto the familiar streets of Maine. My eyes jerked back to the screen as the phone buzzed again.

Jake: "we?"

I replied: "Yes, we. Me and my boyfriend Chris."

I got a reply almost immediately.

Jake: "You have a boyfriend?"

I replied: "Yes. We'll be there in a couple minutes." I texted, glancing up to notice the familiar street where the cafe was. Chris pulled into the on street parking and we both got out.

"Listen Chris, when we get in there, try not to go all caveman with each other. There's no competition between the two of you, you've already got me." I nodded to him as he held open the cafe door for me. His mouth twitched up into a smile at that.

We were instantly welcomed with the strong scent of coffee. I had missed this place. The last time I was here was a few weeks ago. We both scanned the cafe, looking for Jake, but found no signs of him. "Looks like we're here first." Chris nodded, as we slid into one side of a booth.

"That's weird. He talked like he was almost here." I noted, pulling out my phone as it buzzed again.

Jake: "I just pulled up."

I replied: "We're inside at a booth."

"Okay, he's here." I spoke to Chris, as I slid my phone back into my pocket.

"Alright, I'll go order us some coffee." Chris nodded, shifting out from the booth.

I glanced back at my phone to open the Pinterest app, but was interrupted by a different voice. "Is this seat taken?" I glanced up to find Jake, with a large bouquet of flowers in his hand. He looked exactly as I last saw him, his beard was perfectly shaven with his hair blown out to the t.

"Hi." I spoke, not moving as he slid into the booth across from me. His scent was so familiar, it made me nauseated.

"No show with the boyfriend?" He asked, setting the flowers on the table. He couldn't mask the smile that was on his face.

"Just grabbing us coffee." Chris interrupted, setting three cups on the table before sliding in the booth beside me.

"Jake." Jake nodded.

"Chris." Chris replied.

"So uhm, these are for you." Jake gestured towards the flowers. The smile on his face wavered.

"Thank you, they'll go so well in our home." Chris replied, wrapping his arm around my waist as I picked up the cup of coffee.

"Hmm, so you too are living together?" Jake asked, the vein on his right temple was starting to throb.

"Yes." I replied, pouring some creamer into my cup. "Now can we move on to what we all came here for?"

"Yes." Jake nodded, pulling out some files from inside his coat. "This Maine weather is atrocious. You always loved the warmth, Ari."

"First off, it's Aria. Secondly? I hated the heat." I snapped, feeling my blood start to boil. Jake looked taken back.

Up until now, I had always been that timid girlfriend who allowed him to control me. That was no longer the case.

He laid the files down on the table. "T-This is the license, this is the contract to my firm. They are both now at your dispense." He nodded, pushing the files towards us. "Can I ask what this case is about? You mentioned abuse."

"My ex-wife," Chris said, "her boyfriend beat her up pretty badly." Jake nodded, fidgeting with his coat collar awkwardly.

"If you need me, if any of you guys need my help with something, just call." Jake nodded, shifting out of the booth seat. "Thank you for the coffee." He nodded, dropping a $20 on the table. "It was nice meeting you Chris, and seeing you again Aria." I nodded at him, and Chris told to shake his hand. "Goodbye." Jake said, before exiting the cafe.

"He... Wasn't bad." Chris confessed, as he sat and we continued to drink our coffee. "Do you feel better?" He asked.

"Much." I sighed. "I feel as if the hardest part is over and dealt with."

"Let's hope so." Chris sighed, pulling me closer into his side as we enjoyed the atmosphere of the cafe.

--------------------------------
Onto the case! Thank you so much for the reads and votes. I wasn't sure how to actually write this part out, I hope I didn't completely mutilate it.