Emily squinted against the harsh sunlight reflecting off the pier, her head pounding with each step. The salty sea breeze did little to ease her hangover as she and Lucas approached the quaint cafe, its weathered wooden sign creaking in the wind.
“I need caffeine. Stat,” Emily muttered, her voice raspy.
Lucas chuckled, his hand on the small of her back. “I think we all do after last night.”
As they entered, Emily’s eyes immediately locked onto Ryan, sitting at a corner table. Her stomach clenched, a mix of residual anger and unexpected nerves.
“Let’s get this over with,” she whispered to Lucas, steeling herself.
They made their way over, the floorboards groaning beneath their feet. Ryan stood, his usually impeccable appearance slightly disheveled, dark circles under his eyes.
“Emily, dad,” he greeted, his voice tight. “Thanks for coming.”
Emily slid into the booth, grateful for the soft cushion. “I need the biggest coffee they have,” she told the approaching waitress. “And maybe a litre of water.”
As they placed their orders, Emily found herself studying Ryan. His confident facade seemed cracked, revealing a vulnerability she’d rarely seen.
“So,” Lucas began, breaking the awkward silence. “Quite a turnout at the gallery last night.”
Ryan nodded, fidgeting with his napkin. “Yeah, I heard it was a success. Congratulations, Emily.”
“Thanks,” she replied, surprised by the sincerity in his voice.
Their drinks arrived, and Emily practically inhaled her coffee, relishing the bitter warmth.
Ryan cleared his throat, his blue eyes meeting Emily’s. “Look, I need to apologise. For a lot of things.”
Emily’s grip tightened on her mug. Here we go, she thought.
“What I did to you, Emily… there’s no excuse. I was an asshole, plain and simple.” Ryan’s voice cracked slightly. “And how I’ve treated you since… the things I’ve said, how I reacted to you and Dad…” He glanced at Lucas. “It was shitty of me.”
Emily’s jaw clenched, memories of their bitter arguments flooding back. But there was something in Ryan’s demeanor that gave her pause.
“It hurt like hell when I found out about you two,” Ryan continued. “But I realise now… none of us could have predicted this. Dad and I didn’t even know each other existed until recently. It wasn’t some thing you planned to get back at me like my initial reaction may have said.”
Emily felt Lucas’ hand on her knee, a silent show of support. She took a deep breath, the scent of coffee and sea air mingling in her nostrils.
“I appreciate you saying that, Ryan,” she said carefully. “But why now? Why the sudden change of heart?”
Ryan ran a hand through his hair, a gesture so familiar it made Emily’s chest ache. “Honestly? Seeing you two together last night… it hit me. You’re happy. And I realised I’ve been holding onto anger that isn’t doing anyone any good.”
Emily’s mind raced, torn between skepticism and a desire to believe him. She glanced at Lucas, seeing the same mixture of emotions in his eyes.
“It’s a start,” Lucas said, his voice low and measured. “But actions speak louder than words.”
Ryan nodded, a flicker of determination crossing his face. “I know. And I’m ready to prove it. To both of you.”
As the conversation continued, Emily found herself caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The remnants of her hangover faded, replaced by a cautious hope that maybe, just maybe, they could all move forward.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming nervously on the table. “Look, I can’t pretend this whole situation is comfortable for me,” he admitted, his eyes darting between Emily and Lucas. “My ex with my dad? It’s weird as hell. But…” He paused, swallowing hard. “I put you through enough shit, Emily. You deserve to be happy, even if it’s not with me.”
Emily’s throat tightened. She hadn’t expected this level of maturity from Ryan. “Thank you,” she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucas cleared his throat. “I appreciate that, son,” he said, the word sounding foreign on his tongue.
Ryan’s eyes locked onto his father’s. “About that… I was hoping we could maybe start over? Get to know each other properly?” He let out a bitter laugh. “Mum’s not in the picture anymore, and it’d be nice to have at least one parent in my corner.”
Emily watched the emotions play across Lucas’s face – surprise, hesitation, and finally, a cautious hope. She squeezed his hand under the table, silently encouraging him.
“I’d like that,” Lucas replied, his voice gruff with emotion.
As the three of them sat there, surrounded by the sounds of the bustling cafe and the distant crash of waves, Emily felt a shift in the air. It wasn’t perfect, and there was still a long way to go, but it was a start. A chance to heal old wounds and forge new connections.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I can’t believe I’m about to ask this, but… how did you two actually meet?”
Emily burst out laughing, the tension of the moment cracking like thin ice. She caught Lucas’ eye, seeing the mischievous glint there that made her heart skip.
“Oh God,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “It was at The Iron Horse, if you can believe it. Sophia dragged me out for a night of shots about a week after… well, you know.”
Ryan winced, but nodded for her to continue.
Emily’s mind drifted back to that night, the pulsing bass and neon lights of the biker bar vivid in her memory. “I was a mess, honestly. Drowning my sorrows in tequila and trying to forget your sorry ass.”
Lucas snorted, earning him a playful swat on the arm.
“Anyway,” Emily continued, “I stumbled up to the bar for another round, and there was this gorgeous man sitting there, looking way too put-together for a place like The Iron Horse.”
Emily felt heat creep up her cheeks as she remembered their first encounter. “We got to talking, and… well, things just went from there.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to decide if he wanted more details or not. “And you had no idea who each other was?”
Emily shook her head, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her coffee mug. “No, I told Lucas I was out drinking to forget, but names never came up. We were too busy…” She trailed off, catching herself before she said something entirely inappropriate for brunch with her ex.
Lucas cleared his throat, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Let’s just say we were focused on other things.”
Ryan grimaced, but Emily pressed on. “I knew Lucas was looking for his son, but I didn’t realise it was you until I saw the two of you in Starbucks.” She shivered, remembering the shock that had jolted through her system. “I was there with Sophia, mid-shopping trip. Nearly choked on my latte when I put two and two together.”
The memory of that day flashed through Emily’s mind – the bustling coffee shop, the pile of shopping bags at her feet, and the gut-wrenching moment when she’d spotted Lucas and Ryan together. It had felt like the universe was playing some cruel joke on her.
“Christ,” Ryan muttered, running a hand through his hair. “That must have been a hell of a moment.”
Emily nodded, her gaze meeting Lucas’. “You have no idea,” she said softly, feeling the warmth of his hand as it found hers under the table.
Ryan leaned back in his chair, his eyes darting between Emily and Lucas. “So when I saw you two at the bar that night,” he said, focusing on Emily, “you’d really only known for twelve hours?”
Emily felt a wave of tension wash over her. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Yeah, pretty much,” she admitted, her voice tight. “Sophia dragged me out to distract me from being completely convinced the universe was playing a joke on me.”
She let out a humorless chuckle, remembering how she’d felt that night – raw, exposed, and utterly confused. The irony of the situation hadn’t been lost on her then, and it certainly wasn’t now.
“Fuck,” Ryan swore under his breath. His brow furrowed as he processed the information. “That’s… intense.”
Emily shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the churning in her stomach. “Yeah, well, life’s a bitch sometimes, isn’t it?” she said, her tone sharp. She felt Lucas squeeze her hand under the table, a silent gesture of support.
She glanced at Lucas, seeing the concern in his eyes. For a moment, she was transported back to that night at the bar – the pounding music, the burn of tequila, and the comforting presence of Lucas beside her. Despite the chaos swirling around them, he’d been her anchor.
Ryan cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the table. “Look, I’m… I’m glad the two of you met with me this morning,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. “It’s been good to get all this off my chest.”
Emily studied him, searching for any hint of the smooth-talking bullshitter she’d known. But all she saw was a man who looked… tired. Defeated, even. It was almost jarring.
“Well,” she said, surprising herself with the lack of bitterness in her voice, “I guess we all needed this, didn’t we?” She reached for her coffee mug, an idea forming. “To new beginnings?” she offered, raising it in a mock toast.
Lucas’ eyebrows shot up, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. He nodded, lifting his own mug. “To new beginnings,” he echoed, his deep voice sending a familiar shiver down her spine.
Ryan hesitated for a split second before joining in. “New beginnings,” he agreed, his voice carrying a mix of relief and uncertainty.
The ceramic mugs clinked together, the sound oddly final. As Emily took a sip of her now-lukewarm coffee, she felt something shift inside her. It wasn’t forgiveness – not yet, maybe not ever. But it was… acceptance. A chance to move forward without the weight of anger dragging her down.
“So,” she said, setting her mug down with a decisive thunk, “anyone up for some greasy hangover food? I’m pretty sure I can still taste tequila.”