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Did he really just say that?
“My gran died when I was eighteen,” he says, a note of sadness in his voice. “We were really close when I was growing up, so it hit me pretty hard. Not quite the same as losing both parents, but… it did affect me.”
I nod, grateful for his honesty. Other guys I’ve gone out with barely wanted to talk at all; dragging conversation from them was like pulling teeth. But with Marcus, it’s almost like I can’t say anything wrong.
A comfortable silence falls between us for a moment as we both sip our wine.
“Well, now you know my life story,” I say.
“Hardly your life story. Tragedy doesn’t define you. It only makes you stronger. You wouldn’t be who you are today if you hadn’t lived the life you did.”
His words wrap around my heart with a warmth I’ve never felt before. He speaks so eloquently, his voice so calm and reassuring, it’sas though he knows how to make the worst things in life feel like minor inconveniences.
Suddenly I feel light-headed and dizzy.
Maybe it’s the wine, but a rush of emotion makes my heart palpitate, the sound of it beating in my chest like a drum.
I’ve never opened up like this to someone before and felt so understood. So comforted. Somehow, every moment with Marcus just feels right, and the thought that he likes me as well, that he asked me out, brought me to this gorgeous restaurant… the thought that there might just be the slightest chance, the slightest possibility of something real with him… it’s all suddenly a little overwhelming.
***
Marcus
Our food arrives, filling the table with warm, earthy aromas.
We both reach for the mushroom brioche at the same time, smiling as our fingers brush. It’s rich and buttery, and as she brings it to her mouth, her lips part around the bite in a way that’s completely unintentional but utterly distracting.
Conversation flows easily between bites, just like the wine I refill our glasses with. I find myself telling Lila stories about my early days at Catalyst – stories I haven’t shared in years. The panic of my first big presentation, the night I fell asleep on my desk before a deadline.
“Can you believe we only had about thirty staff back then? And now it’s what –over a hundred?”
She smiles, her eyes soft with appreciation. “That’s the dream, isn’t it? Building something that lasts?”
She tells me about a new project they’ve kicked off this week, a bold rebrand for a struggling craft gin label trying to break into high-end cocktail bars. As she talks through her ideas, her whole face lights up with a passion that’s mesmerising to watch.
But every time Carter’s name slips from her lips, which happens with a frequency I can’t help but notice, there’s that familiar twist in my gut, like someone’s turning a knife.
I know he’s dating Harrison now, but after that night at Elevation last year…
“Carter thinks we should use a more industrial approach, but I’m pushing back on it,” she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
The restaurant hums around us, but somehow we’ve created our own pocket of quiet intimacy here in the booth. I look across the table at her and find my breath stalling in my throat as the candlelight catches her eye. She looks stunningly beautiful in a way that makes my chest ache slightly. And she’s opened up to me with a vulnerability I never would have expected, considering she’d always seemed so reserved.
“Can I ask you something?” I lean forward, my voice dropping lower. “That night at Elevation…about a year ago.”
She sets her fork down with a gentle clink, looking directly at me.
Something shifts in her expression, her eyes softening.
“Yea?”
I hesitate, swallowing hard. “You and Carter…” My usual confidence falters, the question sticking in my throat.
I watch her face carefully - confused at first, her brow furrowing. Then her expression transforms, eyebrows lifting as realisation dawnson her. Her lips part slightly before curving up into a small incredulous smile.
“Is that why…” She tilts her head, studying me with puppy dog eyes. “You thought Carter and I were…?”
I shrug, my shoulders tense. “You looked close. It almost looked like he was about to kiss you at one point. And you said you needed to get him home. I stayed just long enough to make sure you’d be safe.”