Chapter 55
As I approached my apartment, I was surprised to see Timothy standing there. His face lit up when
he saw me, and I couldn’t help but smile back, despite the Linda issue.
“Hey, Evie! It’s been a while. How are you?” he asked warmly.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. I wasn’t ready to be honest with Timothy, but I
didn’t want to seem distant either.
“I’ve been okay,” I finally replied, trying to sound casual. “Just been busy with work and stuff.”
Timothy studied my face for a moment. “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, concern in his eyes.
I nodded quickly. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fne,” I assured him. “Just in a bit of a rush right. now, that’s all.”
He didn’t seem fully convinced, but he let the subject drop for the moment.
As much as I tried to resist, curiosity got the better of me. “I didn’t know you had a dog,” I blurted
out, feeling a little embarrassed after.
He smiled, seemingly delighted by this insight. “Yeah, I got Duke a few months. ago. He’s been a
greatpanion, especially during my recovery,” he exined, his eyes lighting up with affection
as he talked about his furry friend.
“Well, if you have a few minutes, you shoulde over and see Duke,” he said brightly.
“I’d love to meet him,” I replied, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. I knew spending
more time with Timothy might stir up emotions I wasn’t ready to confront, but I couldn’t resist the
opportunity to see Duke.
“Cool! Follow me.” Timothy said, gesturing toward his apartment door. “He’s a big sweetheart, I
promise.”
I followed him to his apartment, my heart beating a little faster with each step. Once we reached his
door, he unlocked it and motioned for me to enter first.
As I stepped inside, a wave of familiarity washed over me. Timothy’s apartment
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was cozy and well–decorated, with a touch of his personality evident in every corner. I noticed a
few hockey–rted items scattered around, a testament to his passion for the sport.
“Duke! Come here, buddy,” Timothy called out, and a few secondster, a golden retriever came
bounding over to us. He was a handsome dog with a friendly demeanor, and his wagging tail
instantly made me smile.
“This is Duke,” Timothy said proudly, patting the dog’s head. “Duke, this is Evie.”
Duke gave me an inquisitive look, then nudged his head against my hand, seeking some affection. I
happily obliged, scratching behind his ears as he wagged his tail even more vigorously.
“He seems to like you,” Timothy observed with a grin. “You’re a natural with dogs.”
I chuckled, enjoying the interaction with Duke. “I’ve always loved dogs,” I admitted. “They’re such
loyal and loving creatures.”
“Yeah, they really are,” Timothy agreed, looking fondly at his furrypanion. “Duke’s been a good
pal, haven’t you, boy?”
“Yeah, he’s a sweet boy,” I replied, scratching under Duke’s chin as he barked. proudly. “I’m
surprised you didn’t mention him before.”
Timothy chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I didn’t bring him up. He’s special to me, so I don’t really let too
many people know about him.”
“Except Linda…” I blurted out. Timothy’s eyebrows rose and I mped my mouth. shut, hoping I
hadn’t overstepped my bounds.
Instead of difort, he merely grinned and shook his head. “Uh, Linda’s… fine,” he replied,
looking a bit awkward. “Duke seems way fonder of you though.”
That was odd considering she’d been around Duke more often than me, assuming she went over to
Timothy’s that frequently. Still, I nodded, not wanting to pry too much into his personal life. But the
unease lingered, especially since I had ns to meet Lindater.
“I’ve been a bit moodytely,” I admitted, deciding to steer the conversation away from Linda. “I split
up with Lucas.”
Timothy didn’t react at first. Only when he turned his attention away from Duke to
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look me in the eyes did I catch a sh of guilt in his expression. He frowned and ducked his head.
“Oh, really? I’m so sorry,” he said, although his toneicallycked any genuine sincerity.
“It was so sudden. I don’t really know what happened,” I continued, egging him on. “One moment
we’re enjoying coffee, then the next he tells me it’s not working out.
Timothy’s expression turned serious. “You two seemed so close. Man…”
“Yeah.” I pouted my lips.
His face hardened, and I could tell he was holding something back. “Well, I might’ve punched him at
the club,” he confessed, looking a bit guilty himself.
My eyes widened in shock. “You what?” I eximed, trying to sound angry, but unable to hide my
amusement.
Timothy sighed and fiddled with his shirt sleeve. “I got a bit carried away,” he admitted. “But don’t
worry, I’ll talk to him and apologize.”
I grimaced. “Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easily,” I said sternly.
Timothy’s expression shifted to something more fearful. “I know. I really screwed
up.”
do
“Why would you it?”
“I saw him dancing with some other guy at the club, and I just lost it. I know it was wrong, and I feel
bad about it, but he shouldn’t do that to you,” Timothy exined.
I pretended to be angry, crossing my arms and giving him a disapproving look. “You can’t go around
punching people, Timothy! No matter what the reason is, that’s not how you handle things,” I
scolded, trying my best to sound convincing.
Actually, hearing the wordse out of his mouth left me feeling the opposite. So he really had
wanted to protect me, although I wish he hadn’t punched my friend. Of course, he didn’t know that
my rtionship with Lucas was tonic.
He sighed and nodded again. “You’re right. I let my emotions get the best of me. I should have
handled it differently,” he acknowledged. “Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
III
I softened my tone a little, trying to be understanding. “It’s good that you’re willing to apologize, but
please, be careful with your temper. You don’t want to end up causing more trouble for yourself,” I
advised.
Timothy looked contrite. “You’re right, Evie. I need to work on controlling my emotions better,” he
said, remorse in his eyes.
I reached out and ced a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I know you’ve been through a lot
lately, and it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed. But remember, I’m here for you if you need
someone to talk to,” I offered.
He gave me a small smile, appreciating the support. “Thank you. I’m lucky to have a friend like you,”
he said sincerely.
Just him calling me a “friend” left me feeling slightly weightless. Part of me wanted to tell him how I
truly felt, to admit that I still cared deeply for him, but I held back.
Instead, I redirected the conversation back to the topic of Lucas. “And you’ll be making it up to US.
You’re going to make amends with Lucas, and by that I mean you’re going to show him a good
time,” I told him.
Timothy seemed less pleased with that suggestion. His eyebrows creased and he started rubbing
absently at Duke’s belly. “Oh.”
Feeling a sense of relief, I smiled at him. “Good. I know you’ll do the right thing,” I said, genuinely
believing in him.
As much as I wanted to break character and console him, I knew that sticking to the n was
essential. “This Saturday,” I said firmly. “You’ll meet with him Saturday and make things right.”
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Timothy looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and gratitude. “All right. I’ll open up
my schedule.”
My heart wavered at his sincerity, but I kept up the act. “Don’t thank me yet,” I said, trying to sound
stern. “Apologizing is just the first step.”
He nodded firmly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right, Evie. I promise.”
I couldn’t help but smile at how determined he look.
After spending I eventually excused myself, citing a prior
Some time with ..
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Walking back to my own apartment, I couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty. I knew I needed to
sort through my emotions and figure out what I truly wanted before things became even more
complicated. The ball was in my court, and I needed to make a decision, no matter how difficult it
might be.
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