"Nilla Stone?"
I turned, coffee still in hand, and nearly dropped it.
James Arton.
Except—this wasn't the James I remembered. The James I had loved and cried over. The James I had left behind. This version stood taller somehow, his suit tailored perfectly, his once too-cocky grin replaced by something more grounded. More… human.
"James?" I said, surprised but not unkind. "Wow. It's been a while."
He chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck, a gesture that once screamed boyish charm and now looked more like a habit he was trying to break.
"Two years, give or take," he said. "You look… well, incredible. Seriously. You've always been stunning, but now you glow like you run the world."
I smirked, unable to help myself. "I *do* co-own a cybersecurity company, so… you're not far off."
"Glassline Security, right?" he said with a nod. "I've followed your work. You're everywhere."
I blinked. "You follow my work?"
"Course I do. Nilla… I screwed up years ago. But I never stopped respecting what you're capable of."
There was a pause. Not uncomfortable. Just real.
"You look good," I said finally, gesturing at his very not-budget-friendly suit. "Clearly, life's been treating you alright."
"Thanks. I've grown up a lot. Took a job out of state for a while. Cleaned up some bad habits. Went through therapy. Honestly… the breakup was my wake-up call. I know I hurt you, but you walking away made me face myself for the first time."
Something warm and bittersweet fluttered in my chest. It wasn't love. Not anymore. But it was pride. The kind you feel for someone you once cared for, who finally became the version of themselves you always knew they could be.
"Well, I'm happy for you," I said honestly. "It's good to see you like this."
Before either of us could spiral into nostalgia, a coordinator popped up beside us.
"James Arton, right? The team from Vantex Tech is waiting upstairs for the integration meeting. And Ms. Stone, you'll be presenting your portion of the rollout too."
My brow lifted. "Wait. You're with *Vantex*?"
He grinned, this time a little playful. "Senior Systems Director. Surprise?"
"You've got to be kidding."
"Nope. Looks like our companies are partnering on the national smart infrastructure project."
I laughed—one of those disbelief-meets-universe-loves-a-plot-twist laughs.
"Well, I hope you're ready," I said, stepping toward the elevator with him. "Because I don't pull punches in business."
"Neither do I," he said, smirking. "But I think we'll work well together this time. As long as you don't throw any coffee at me."
"Only if you start mansplaining."
We both laughed. And as the elevator doors closed, I realized something:
Life was weird.
Growth was real.
And some ghosts from the past… weren't here to haunt you.
They were here to show you just how far you'd come.
"Okay," Sarah said, narrowing her eyes over the rim of her smoothie like it was a crystal ball. "Let me get this straight—you're working with James Arton. *Your* James Arton. The James who used to be a condescending spreadsheet mansplainer with a smile that made you forget he just insulted your intelligence."
Nilla stirred her coffee, amused. "He wasn't *that* bad."
"You once texted me 'if I strangle him with an Ethernet cable, will they give me a raise or jail time?'"
"Okay, *that* was one time."
Sarah leaned in dramatically. "Nilla. Babygirl. I love you. I supported you when you cut him off, I supported you when you ugly cried in my couch pillows, and I even supported you when you wore that revenge dress that had a zipper I still don't understand."
"It was avant-garde!"
"It was *backless* in February."
Nilla bit her lip to stifle a laugh. "Look, all I'm saying is—James has changed. He's… focused. Thoughtful. Not the same guy."
Sarah slowly blinked. "He didn't give you a compliment wrapped in a backhanded dig?"
"Nope."
"He didn't interrupt you in the meeting to explain your own idea louder?"
"Nope."
Sarah sat back, folding her arms like a suspicious mafia boss. "So, you're telling me this man went through a Pokémon evolution and became Human James 2.0?"
"I'm saying," Nilla replied with a grin, "we're both adults now. We're not friends, we're not enemies. We're coworkers. And actually… we work well together."
Sarah squinted. "I'm going to need to meet him. Like, *soon.* I want to see his vibe in person. People can fake growth in meetings."
"You're going to grill him, aren't you?"
"Grill? No. Toast. Like a marshmallow on a campfire of protective best friend energy. I just want to make sure he doesn't pull any passive-aggressive power plays or *try to flirt with you under the guise of data metrics.*"
Nilla cackled. "You're insane."
"I'm invested," Sarah corrected. "This is your life, not some second chance rom-com. If he tries anything shady, I'll drop kick him with words so fast—"
"Sarah," Nilla said, reaching across the table and taking her hand dramatically, "I love you for this."
Sarah softened. "I know. I just want to make sure you're not caught off guard."
"I won't be. I've grown too. I know what I want and what I don't. James being around isn't threatening—it's just… a full-circle moment."
"Okay," Sarah said slowly, "but if I find out he referred to you as 'the girl who got away,' I *will* fake a HR violation."
Nilla grinned. "Noted."
---
**Later that week:**
James stood at the conference table with a clicker in hand, confidently presenting the next steps of the Vantex-Glassline rollout. His tone was polished, direct—but what impressed Nilla most was that he paused, actively listened when she spoke, and even nodded in agreement without a single ounce of ego.
She caught Sarah watching him through the glass, arms crossed, face unreadable.
After the meeting, James approached.
"Sarah, right?" he said, polite but cautious.
"Mmhmm," she answered.
"I've heard a lot about you."
"I bet you have."
James hesitated. "I just want you to know… I respect Nilla. I respect what you both have built. I'm here to do good work."
Sarah blinked once. Then twice. Then leaned in slightly.
"Good," she said, with a dazzling smile that somehow managed to carry the weight of a mafia threat. "Because if you mess up again, I know how to make someone disappear using nothing but outdated code and plausible deniability."
James paled slightly. "Noted."
Sarah patted his shoulder and turned to Nilla. "Let me know when you want a happy hour. I'll bring snacks and a background check just in case."
As she left, Nilla turned to James, barely holding back laughter.
"She's… protective," he said.
"She's the reason I didn't drown in wine and bad choices years ago."
"I respect that."
Nilla raised an eyebrow. "And you should be just a *little* scared."
James nodded solemnly. "I already am."