Valentine's Recipe for Love

Left Waiting

♡ Shane ♡

By the time I reached the door to my apartment, my mind was a tangled mess. My fingers hesitated on the key before I finally pushed it into the lock. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration, a romantic evening to remind Casey and me why we had lasted as long as we had. Instead, it had turned into an awkward but strangely memorable dinner with a stranger. Megan. The thought of her was a constant whisper in my head. Her laugh, the sparkle in her light brown eyes when she talked about her bakery, the way she had so easily gone from guarded to open as the evening unfolded. I shook my head as I stepped inside, determined to push those thoughts away.

“Casey?” I called out, as I closed and locked the door behind me. The living room lights were dim, and the faint aroma of popcorn lingered in the air. A soft rustling came from the couch, and Casey’s petite frame emerged from beneath a blanket.

“Hey,” she said, her voice tentative. She tucked a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear and gave me a small smile. “You are back late,” I set my keys on the counter, as I tried to keep my frustration in check.

“Yeah, about that. What happened tonight?” I questioned. She sighed and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Shane. Samantha asked me to stay late and help with some filing. It was her first Valentine’s Day since the divorce, and she was swamped. I couldn’t say no,”

“You could’ve at least let me know,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended. “I sat there for an hour waiting for you,” of course, Casey had texted, but her message had been vague. Her green eyes softened with guilt.

“I know, and I feel terrible about it. By the time I got home, I was so tired I could barely think. I didn’t mean to leave you hanging,” she said, and I wanted to stay angry, to let her know how much tonight had meant to me, but the way she looked at me made my resolve crumble. Casey wasn’t the type to bail without a good reason. She had always been reliable, and steady. The kind of person who makes you feel grounded, even when everything else was spinning out of control.

“It’s fine,” I said, as I finally sank down onto the couch beside her. “I just wish you would have told me before I embarrassed myself by sitting all alone,”

“I should have called. I didn’t expect it to take as long as it did, Shane. I’m sorry,” she apologized again as she rested her head on my shoulder. “How about we make it up with a movie night? Just you and me, no distractions,” I glanced at the television and sighed softly.

“Sure. What are we watching?”

“Something light. Maybe a romantic comedy?” she suggested, as she grabbed the remote. I nodded as she scrolled through the options. I tried to focus on the moment. After all, this is what I wanted, wasn’t it? A quiet evening with my girlfriend, the woman I had been with for almost three years. Yet, as the opening credits of some generic rom-com rolled, my thoughts drifted back to Megan. Her voice echoed in my mind.

“Ah…maybe. If you play your cards right,”

I had laughed at the time, brushing it off as playful banter, but now it lingered like an unfinished sentence. Why hadn’t I asked for her number? The question nagged at me, each passing second amplifying my regret. She had been so easy to talk to, so genuine. The kind of person who made you forget the world existed beyond the table you were sharing.

“You are quiet tonight,” Casey said. The sound of her voice pulled me from my thoughts. She tilted her head back to look up at me, her expression curious. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah,” I lied, as I forced a smile. “Just tired, I guess,” Casey seemed to accept that, as she snuggled closer as the movie played on. But I couldn’t shake the image of Megan. Her sandy blonde hair, the way she had smiled when I admitted my baking disasters, the sparkle in her eyes when she toasted to new beginnings. The movie’s plot blurred into the background as my mind replayed every moment of our dinner. What was she doing now? Did Brendan ever show up, or had she gone home alone? Was she thinking about me, even a little? My phone buzzed on the coffee table, which jolted me back to reality. Casey didn’t stir, her attention fixed on the screen, so I reached for it. A text notification lit up the screen, but it wasn’t from Megan – of course, it wasn’t.

Caleb: Don’t forget to confirm for the morning class tomorrow.

I let out a quiet sigh and locked the screen. Work could wait. My life felt like it was tilting in a direction I couldn’t quite grasp, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stop it or let it happen. Casey shifted against me and her hand rested lightly on my chest.

“Thanks for understanding,” she murmured. “I really do appreciate it,”

“Of course,” I said softly, as I reached out to stroke her hair. The words felt hollow, like they belonged to someone else. My mind was still a thousand miles away, lost in the memory of a woman I had only just met. I missed the whole movie and when the credits rolled, Casey stretched out lazily with a contented sigh.

“That was cute. We should do this more often,”

“Yeah, we should,” I agreed, though the sentiment felt forced. I helped her gather the empty popcorn bowl and glasses and carried them to the kitchen. Casey disappeared into the bedroom to get ready for bed, while I lingered in the quiet apartment, and stared out the window at the city lights. What was I doing? Megan was a stranger, a chance encounter on a night that had gone sideways. Yet, here I was, letting thoughts of her take up space in my mind when Casey was right here, trying to make things work. My phone buzzed again, and I saw that it was Caleb again.

Caleb: You left me on read. Seriously?! I take it the V-Date was good?

I chuckled rather awkwardly as I replied.

Shane: Not exactly. It’s a bit of a long story.

Caleb: I want all the details. And don’t forget to confirm for the morning class tomorrow.

Shane: Yeah man. See you tomorrow.

Caleb was a fellow fitness instructor, but he was also my best friend. If there was anyone who could help me sort through my thoughts, it was him. Regardless, I had to forget about Megan. She was a one-night anomaly, nothing more. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t that simple. Some people left an imprint you couldn’t ignore, and Megan had done just that. The question was: what did I do about it?

“Babe!” Casey called out, and I let out another sigh before I joined her in the bedroom.