I head back into the garage, determined to forget about Rowan. Of course, that's easier said than done. Seeing her brought me right back to a mental place I left behind a long time ago, and even though I can separate most of what I was dealing with then from her, it doesn't change the fact that I hurt her.

The way she looked at me, not just surprised to see an old classmate, but like a deer in the headlights, clearly tells me that she never put it behind her entirely. She's moved on, obviously, in the sense that she's successful, but maybe she's stuck a bit, just like me. In terms of my career, I finally feel like the adult everyone says I was supposed to be years ago, but when it comes to relationships, I'm anything but.

I lean over the engine I'm working on, glancing sideways when one of my coworkers joins me. He watches for a second, then clears his throat and asks, "It's Bennett, right?"

I nod. "Yeah, that's me. You're, uh, Will?" I guess, trying to remember meeting everyone that morning.

"Yup. So I know it's your first day and everything, and there might be some nerves, but you just put that part on backwards, which is not going to go well for the customer."

I look where he's pointing and sigh. "Shit," I mutter, moving to fix it. "Sorry."

"It's okay, man. That's why we help each other out. But you kind of seemed like you were settling in before you left for lunch. Did something happen?"

I've gotten better at talking to people and making friends, but I left all the ones I'd made behind when I came here. It'd be nice to have someone to hang out with, someone to talk to. So I decide to be honest and give it a shot.

"You were one of the ones who recommended the diner across the street, right?"

"Yeah. Did you like it? The new chef is ridiculously good. Like, too good for our small town, really, but I'm not going to complain. I shouldn't call her new, I guess, though. She's been here for half a year or something. It's just that the previous guy had been around since I was kid, so it was a big change."

"The food was some of the best I've ever had," I agree. "But your new chef is, well, sort of an ex of mine, I guess."

"You guess?" he repeats. "Shouldn't you know?"

"Well, we never really got to the actual dating stage, so I don't know if it's the technically accurate word, but it's the easiest."

"Ah. One that got away kind of thing?"

"Yeah. I never expected to see her again, and it kind of threw me for a loop. I didn't just like her. She was the girl of my dreams."

"Was?" Will wonders. "Or is it still present tense? Because you're pretty distracted."

"Well, I don't know how she might have changed," I reason. "But it's still present tense. You're right."

I fall silent, thinking about the implications of admitting that to myself. After a moment, Will nudges me with his elbow. "So what happened? You said you never actually dated."

I take a deep breath. There's a lot of context behind what I did, at least for me, but that's something I'm not comfortable sharing with someone I just met. I can share the result, though.

"I asked her to prom and then stood her up on the night of the dance without letting her know," I confess.

He whistles under his breath. "Wow. That's bad, dude. Like, that's messed up."

"I am aware, believe me."

"Were you aware of it then?"

"I was."

"So why'd you do it?"

Again, that brushes up against a whole slew of issues I don't want to explain to a stranger. So I shrug and give him an answer that isn't really an answer. "I was young and afraid and I made a bad decision. And I can't take it back."

Will's eyes narrow slightly. I assume he realizes that I'm not telling him the whole story, but he's kind enough to not ask and leave it be.

"Well, are you going to give it another shot?" he finally inquires. "It kind of seems like fate. You started working right across the street from her and you didn't even know."

"I might think that, except that when she saw me, she couldn't turn around and get out of the room fast enough. I don't think she's interested in giving me another chance, and I can't say I'm surprised, considering."

"I guess."

I know how bad I screwed up. I'd do anything to make it up to her, but I'm not sure you can make up for something like that. And if trying makes her uncomfortable, I don't want to do that either.

I should probably just avoid the diner entirely. It'll be too bad, since the food is so good, but I can find other places to eat. I'll give her her space, and she doesn't have to think about me again if she doesn't want to. She'll have peace of mind, I hope, and that'll be for the best.

A chime sounds as the door opens. Will gestures in that direction with his head. "Why don't you go get that? I'll finish up here."

"Sure."

I turn and head into the customer service area and open my mouth to greet whoever just entered. But I never get around to closing it, because Rowan Barrow is once again standing right in front of me.