And we're back at one; the same place we were in 10 years ago.

It's like we don't even know each other anymore and this is supposed to be my son's mother. I should know her, and not just because she has custody over my son, but because...

Well, do I really have another reason to know her more than I should right now?

However, she seems like a stranger to me in this moment. I'm getting to know her all over again. She's not the same Journee that she was 10 years ago.

She's a mother, a greatly experienced writer, and...

A wife.

Unfortunately, not mine.

Why do I feel this bad?

Because, even though she's a different woman than she used to be, I can still feel everything she's feeling.

Battered. Emotional. Still hopeful. Confused and uncomfortable.

Could it be because she's with me right now and not with Davin?

I knew this would happen and should have pushed this idea. It's all my fault.

We're both going through it. Same love triangle, same positions, same emotions.

I just wanted to shed some light on this situation and make both of us feel better, bring two heartbroken people together.

Well, that's a bad idea when you're still married to the people who broke your heart. It can confuse both parties, run one party away from the other, or maybe...

Both parties fall for each other even though they shouldn't.

This wasn't supposed to happen. We were just supposed to go whale watching and go back to the suite.

What's going on, right now, was not part of the plan but Cam couldn't help but drag all off us out to this dim-lit restaurant.

The tables has only two chairs, meaning this restaurant is made to attract couples.

The mood lighting, the soft jazz music, and the velvety decorations around the restaurant pushes couples to connect on another level.

What's really catching my attention are the couples eating, feeding each other, kissing each other after, the slow dancing, and they're looking into their partner's eyes so lovingly. You could tell that there's true love between them.

My eyes move to my side, with excitement in my heart, and then it immediately goes away.

Here I am, thinking that Kyra's right beside me and we're ready to have a good time. When I realized that it was Journee on my arm, my heart sank a bit.

This is wrong. This is absolutely wrong.

Everybody walks in, with their spouses wrapped in their arms, while Journee and I just stand there awkwardly.

We know we don't belong here. We're not a couple so we feel like outsiders compared to everyone else.

While our spouses are fucking each other, we're left to fend for ourselves and go with whatever our friends are doing.

"Table for two?" A hostess asks us as I come back to reality.

My eyes glance over to Journee as she nods and rolls her eyes. Yeah, somebody doesn't want to be here with me, feeling the same way as I do. She wishes that her husband was here with her too.

Once the hostess grabs the menus, she leads us to our table that just has to be right near the live jazz band. Nowhere near our friends, so we're all by ourselves over here.

We get comfortable, at our table, and flip through the menu for drinks. My heart pings at the thought of Journee ordering something strong.

"What can I get you two to drink?" the waitress asks.

"Champagne, please."

I wanted to tell her to change her drink of choice so bad. However, I didn't want her to run away from me again once I said something. Plus, it's an extravagant restaurant and we both deserve a drink.

"I'll take a glass too."

Journee's taken back by my response while the waitress walks away with our orders.

"Well, well, well. The alcohol police must be off duty. I'm shocked you didn't stop me."

As bad as I wanted to, I just couldn't. She's an adult and you can't always gripe about what other people do or want in their lives. Eventually, they're going to do what they want and the more you fuss about it, the more they're going to want to do it.

Shaking my head, I chuckle a bit and rub my hands together softly.

"Well, I realized that I can't keep telling you what to do. You live your life the way you want to and whatever choices you make will affect your life, not mine."

"Why does that sound like a backhanded response?" She shares this striking stare and shakes her head slightly.

"Maybe I said that wrong. I'm saying that nobody should be in charge of you but you. It's none of my business what you do."

After my words, she purses her lips together and says "What makes everyone thing that I have a drinking problem?"

Sitting back in my chair, my eyes scan the menu before looking up at Journee to answer her question.

Watching Journee look at the menu has me studying her emotions. The way those luscious, dark brown eyes run across the pages excite me but also tells me that she's avoiding something. She's trying to hide something and she's anxious about it.

I wonder what would happen if she were to look up at me and keep her eyes on me. I'm wishing that would calm her anxiety and change her mood.

Then, I realize that I want her to look at me the same way she did all those years ago. The way she smiled at me when I fell into the sand, the way she laughed when I wrote her the most silliest poems, the way her face would glow when she looked at me.

There was so much joy, passion, and love in her eyes. She longed for me just as much as I longed for her back then. Maybe I long for her heart right now.

Snap out of it, Tripp. Don't forget that you're still married, bro. No matter what your girl is doing with another man.

Right. It's got to be the restaurant that's got me tripping like this.

"Well, what looks good to you?" Journee asks as she continues to study the menu.

Should I really answer that question? Should I tell her what I'm actually thinking?

She's setting me up to fail here.

I bring my attention back to the menu, as she lifts her eyes from hers. Trying to think of what I actually want, I pick something quickly just to pretend that I've been looking.

"Probably the lobster but I'm not sure. What about you?"

Is it wrong to feel the way I do?

Absolutely, but there's just something about Journee that makes me light up inside. Even when we'd argue or just ignore each other, she still sends my heart into overdrive. No matter what we went through, I still have these feelings for her.

"Getting fancy, huh? You're a true Florida boy, born by the ocean. You love your seafood and never leave the water, don't you?"

"You can read me like a book, can't you? Or can you? You can never truly know somebody because people change everyday."

Though what I said was true, some feelings never change or go away. You can deny them, push them away as much as you want, and even try to dead them. They're boomerangs. They still come back.

"Are you two ready to order?" The waitress comes back and breaks our eye contact.

Journee orders some gnocchi and I order some baked lobster. Just as Journee noted, I'm definitely a man that stays by the sea. I eat, feel, and breathe the ocean.

Soon, another slow song plays and her body language changes. She's filled with anticipation and, while watching the band play, Journee's body sits up more and more. A very small smile appears across her face and her shoulders bounce a bit.

"Sorry I'm not saying anything. I just really love this song," she says with an excited smile on her face.

The melody is smooth and slow, tempting the couples to get up and slow dance. If I'm not mistaken, it's an instrumental version of 'Get it Together' by 702.

I turn to look at the band and just so happen to catch our friends dancing to the slow song.

Standing up, I make the first move and hold my hand out for hers.

"Would you like to dance?"