My Brob GF Ch 23: Talking Again, The invitation Given!

The coffee at this café wasn't bad, I'll give it that. The ambiance, however, was a whole different beast. Literally. Sitting here on the Lilliputian side, I could see everything: Gulliverians sipping coffee out of mugs larger than my apartment, chatting, laughing, completely unaware of how overwhelming their presence was to us. The line dividing our space from theirs wasn't exactly what I'd call comforting. Just a wide, bold stripe painted on the floor. No barriers. Nothing stopping one of them from tripping over here and squashing half the café.

I tried to play it cool, sipping my coffee and avoiding direct eye contact with any giants outside the line. It wasn't too bad, though. Maybe I was finally getting used to this kind of thing. Or maybe facing death a week ago had recalibrated what "dangerous" meant.

Dwayne sat across from me, happily munching on a ridiculously blue muffin. He had that perpetual smirk that made him look like he was up to something, even when he wasn't.

"You can't stop staring at them, can you?" he said, his smirk widening as he caught me glancing out toward the Gulliverians.

"It's not like that," I said quickly, feeling my face heat up.

"Oh, really?" he teased, leaning forward.

"Yeah, really," I shot back, then pointed at him with my coffee cup. "What about you, huh? Mr. Cool-and-Collected. Don't you have someone special you're staring at these days?"

Dwayne paused, his smirk softening into something more genuine. "Actually, I do."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, seriously?"

"Seriously," he said, breaking off a piece of his muffin and popping it into his mouth. "I've been seeing someone for a while now. Hopefully, you'll get to meet her someday."

I stared at him, feeling a mix of surprise and guilt. I'd worked with Dwayne for years, and he was the type to share everything about his life. Or so I thought. "You've been holding out on me? Since when do you keep secrets?"

He grinned. "Since now, apparently."

Shaking my head, I chuckled. "Alright, fine. You win this round. I'm just shocked, is all. You've got a girlfriend, and here I thought you were married to your job."

Dwayne shrugged, taking another bite of his muffin. "And what about you? Speaking of relationships... have you talked to Harper lately?"

The mention of her name made my stomach twist. I looked down at my coffee cup, suddenly very interested in its swirling surface. "No, not really," I mumbled.

Dwayne sighed, clearly disappointed. "Ethan, come on. You're not still afraid of her, are you?"

"How can I not be?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "She's a..."

"A Brob," he finished for me, leaning back in his chair.

I didn't say anything. I felt bad even thinking it, let alone saying it out loud. Harper wasn't just her size. She was funny, kind, and fiercely protective. But still, the image of her towering over me, her sharp eyes locked on mine, was hard to shake.

"She saved your life, man," Dwayne said, his tone soft but firm. "I get it. She's... a lot. But she's also clearly invested in you. You owe her more than silence."

I sighed, knowing he was right. "Alright," I said finally. "I'll call her tonight."

"Good," Dwayne said with a nod, the smirk returning. "About time."

***

I sat at my desk, staring at the black screen of my computer. My hair was a mess, tied back in a loose bun, and an empty wine glass sat next to the keyboard. I wasn't exactly feeling glamorous, but this wasn't about me.

"A video call," I muttered to myself, tapping my fingers on the desk. "Yeah, that'll be the best way. Better than me stomping into his office unannounced."

I powered up the computer, watching as the screen flickered to life. Just as I was about to open my contacts, a notification popped up. A video call request.

From Ethan.

My heart skipped a beat as I stared at the familiar little icon with his face. "Ethan," I said under my breath, clicking to accept the call before I could overthink it.

His face appeared on the screen, and the first thing I noticed was how nervous he looked. His hair was a little messy, and there were dark circles under his eyes, but it was undeniably him.

"Took you a while," I said, crossing my arms and fixing him with a mock-irritated look.

Ethan laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, I... I'm sorry about that. Things have been, uh, hectic."

"Hectic," I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's your excuse?"

"It's the truth," he said, looking genuinely apologetic. "I should've called sooner. I just... didn't know how to—"

"Ethan," I interrupted, softening my tone. "It's fine. I get it."

We talked for a while after that, catching up like we used to. He apologized again, and I could tell he meant it. It wasn't long before I started feeling that familiar warmth, the one that made me miss him even more.

After a pause, I hesitated before asking the question that had been on my mind all week. "Hey... would you be okay with coming over? To my place?"

Ethan blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Uh, your place?"

"Yeah," I said, trying to sound casual even though my heart was racing. "No pressure or anything. Just... if you're comfortable."

He thought about it for a moment, and I held my breath.

"Alright," he said finally, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'll come over."

"Good," I said, feeling a strange mix of relief and excitement. "I'll send you the details."

As we said our goodbyes and ended the call, I leaned back in my chair, unable to stop smiling. Maybe this was a step in the right direction. Maybe things between us could finally start making sense.