The Heart Left Behind

Chapter 35 Haydens gaze shifted between Lorraine and me as he smirked .

Looks like my introduction .

worked out pretty well , huh ? I felt uncomfortable , but Lorraine smoothly took over the conversation .

Thank you for introducing us .

Weve been enjoying each others company .

Hayden chuckled .

Thats good to hear .

Cole can be too rigid sometimes .

He needs someone to help him loosen up .

Lorraine , please take care of him .

I gave Hayden an exasperated look .

Come on , Hayden .

Hayden patted my shoulder .

Alright , Ill leave you two alone .

Oh , and Cole , come by the office tomorrow .

Theres a project I need you to look at With that , he left , and the coffee shop returned to its previous peace .

However , I felt oddly tense .

Lorraine seemed to notice my change in mood and asked , Are you okay ? I took a deep breath and managed a smile .

Im fine .

Its just … Hayden isnt usually involved in my personal life , so this is unexpected .

Lorraine thoughtfully commented , I understand .

Sometimes , family concerns can feel like pressure , but I think he genuinely cares about you .

I nodded , though my feelings were still tangled .

We chatted a while longer , and the atmosphere gradually lightened again .

It was late when we left the coffee shop , so I insisted on walking Lorraine home .

The cool night breeze brushed against our faces as we walked down the street .

Suddenly , Lorraine stopped and turned to face me .

I had a wonderful time tonight .

I looked into her bright eyes , my heart racing .

Me too , Lorraine .

Thank you for spending time with me .

We stood there gazing at each other , the world around us seemingly fading away .

However , a sharp screech of brakes shattered the moment .

We both turned and saw a car narrowly miss a delivery driver on a scooter .

Lorraine gasped , instinctively grabbing my arm .

Feeling her tension , I patted her hand gently .

Its okay .

Thankfully , no one got hurt .

The incident brought us back to reality , and we continued walking until we reached her apartment building .

Lorraine hesitated before saying , Thank you for walking me home .

Good night .

I watched her disappear into the building before heading toward the parking lot .

On the drive .

Chapter 35 home , I replayed the evenings moments in my mind with a smile on my face .

Early the next morning , I arrived at the office on time .

Shortly after I sat down , Hayden came to my office .

He said directly , Cole , you and Lorraine seemed close last night .

Are there any developments ? I was caught off guard by his bluntness but shook my head .

Hayden , were just friends .

Hayden gave me a knowing look .

Really ? The chemistry I saw suggested otherwise .

I remained silent , unsure how to respond .

Hayden sighed and sat down across from me .

Cole , I know you went through a rough marriage , but you need to think about your own happiness too .

Lorraines a wonderful person .

I introduced her to you , hoping youd give yourself another chance .

His words stirred up mixed emotions within me .

Chapter 36