Page 74 of The Way Home

“I can’t,” he said miserably.

Muttering to himself in French, JB pulled up his chair and sat across from Jamie. He wore a form-fitting cream cardigan today that complemented his dark skin beautifully. One hand held a takeaway cup while the other pressed his thin, circular glasses up his nose. The man belonged in a fashion magazine, not a library. “Mi chéri, are you going to tell me what happened?”

“Nothing.” Jamie wiped his face quickly. He needed to pull it together for work. “I just need to get some coffee. Walk to the cafe with me?”

“Ah, so…” JB held the coffee in his hand up. “Your man brought you this. He gave it to me to give to you.”

Jamie’s eyes flicked to the door. “Caleb’s here?”

“Hewas.I think he was unsure if you would want to see him.” JB plopped the coffee on the desk and stood. He brought the reportover to his desk and started on it. “Caffeinate yourself. Then we will talk about what has happened with you and your American.”

Jamie’s entire body relaxed as he took a sip of the perfect caramel latte with oat milk. Closing his eyes, he took a deep inhale and held it. Imagining the air in his lungs spread to the tips of his fingers and toes, he slowly exhaled.

Caleb came to bring him coffee.

He hadn’t given up on them.

Setting down the mug, Jamie noticed a little note written on the cardboard sleeve.

I’m sorry about last night. Call me when you’re ready <3 -C

“Jean-Baptiste?” Jamie said, pulling the Frenchman’s attention away from his desk. “I need your help. I…I think I royally fucked up.”

Chapter 19

It took anothertwo days for Jamie to muster up the courage to call Caleb. Per Ellie and JB’s advice, he’d taken some time to process the news that his memories would most likely not come back.

Many,manytears were involved.

After that, he detailed his conversation with Caleb to his friends, coming to the conclusion that what they both needed was a fresh start. A reset of expectations.

Jamie wasn’t goingback, but he was still Jamie. And he and Caleb needed to talk about what that meant. If Caleb even wanted to keep trying…

“Your American man is very stubborn,” JB muttered as he entered their office and placed a coffee on Jamie’s desk. Same as every day this week, it was a perfect caramel oat milk latte. “I told him to come andspeakto you. But he said he would wait until you reached out. Why have you not reached out?”

Jamie sipped the coffee and sighed.Delicious.

“I’m still figuring out what I want to say.”

“Ugh,” JB groaned, fanning himself dramatically. “He is just so handsome. I do not know how you’ve stayed away from him for so long. Figure all this out in the bedroom.”

Jamie almost spit out his coffee, cheeks flaming. Of course he missed Caleb. The ache in his chest had only grown bigger over the past week, being away from him. But after what he’d said to Caleb,and everything that happened, he wanted to be prepared when they finally had a conversation.

“I’m going to call him today,” he announced. JB perked up. “I promise.”

When JB finally turned his attention to his work, Jamie lifted the cup to see what Caleb had written today. It always made little butterflies come to life in his belly.

I hope you have an amazing day. Tell Clarence to… what do you Brits say? ‘Sod off’

Jamie snorted and tucked the cardboard sleeve into the pile he’d made this week. There were five now in the corner of his desk. He liked being able to see them—they were like little reminders that maybe things would end up being okay with Caleb—but they did take up a lot of space.

Pulling open a drawer to find somewhere to put them, Jamie froze. The bottom drawer of his desk was filled with little cardboard coffee sleeves, all with notes written on them.

Tears prickled his eyes as he reached down and slowly pulled out a handful. When did Caleb even—?

Love you so much. Have an amazing exhibit today! <3 -C

Still on for coffee tomorrow? I’ll pick you up at 11 :) -C