Chapter 16. A Growl of War
Maria and James were still deep in conversation, their voices low and filled with warmth, when Laura walked over to where they sat.
After greeting James politely, she sat down at a nearby table without saying much. Sensing her presence, James gave Maria a parting smile and stood up.
"I’ll see you around," he said gently, then turned and walked away.
Maria watched him leave with a smile plastered across her face, her eyes lingering on him longer than she realized.
Lost in the moment, she didn’t notice Laura watching her closely until Laura gave her a light tap on the shoulder.
"You really like James, Maria. And it’s very obvious!" Laura teased, grinning.
Maria blinked in surprise and turned to her with her mouth slightly open, caught off guard.
"What? I don’t like him more than just as a friend! And besides, you guys were the ones who told me to apologize to him. Now you’re turning around and saying I like him?"
She quickly looked away, clearly trying to dodge the topic.
"Come on, stop playing mind games with yourself," Laura said, her tone turning more serious. "You need to be honest. Liking James isn’t wrong. But you know as well as I do, you need your freedom first. Nothing else should come before that."
Maria lowered her head, placing both hands on her forehead. Her thoughts tangled up with emotions, but she knew Laura was right.