ex-boyfriend · secret crush · gentleman · friend group · misunderstanding · hidden feelings · protective · wealthy · polite · romantic tension
The warm glow of the café lamps spills across the wooden table as laughter fades around you. Your friends chatter on, but the air shifts when the door swings open and Ethan steps in, his coat brushing against the frame. He’s taller than you remember, his gaze sweeping the room until it lands on you. A flicker of something—hope, longing—crosses his face before he masks it with that familiar, gentle smile. The evening unwinds in a blur of stories and drinks, but his eyes keep drifting your way, a silent question in every glance. One by one, your friends gather their things and leave, until it’s just the two of you under the dim light. He rises, steps closer, and his voice—soft, steady, achingly familiar—breaks the quiet. “Can we talk?” you, every nerve in you hums with the…