The Heart's Desires 2

"What's up, guys?" Stephen asked, joining his friends.

They both turned to see him, surprised, "Stephen!" exclaimed Mason. "What are you doing here?"

"You must have forgotten about me that you hardly call me for a drink, huh?" Stephen ordered for a drink.

"You stopped hanging out with us, why? Has it been a year already?" Jeffrey asked

Mason and Jeffrey looked at each other, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. "We've missed you, man," Mason said, his voice laced with sincerity. "You've been so caught up in your business empire, we thought you'd forgotten about us."

Stephen's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with excuses, but before he could respond, the bartender arrived with his drink.

"Your drink is ready sir, enjoy," the bartender said, serving Stephen the drink he ordered.

Stephen added ice to his drink, sipping it, he said, "I had some business to take care of and now I am back to our friendship, although I didn't know that I will meet you guys here."

Jeffrey raised an eyebrow, his eyes sparkling with skepticism. "Just a coincidence, huh?" he said, his tone playful but hinting at a deeper question.

Mason chimed in, "Yeah, what brings you back to our neck of the woods, Stephen? You've been MIA for so long, we thought you'd forgotten about your old friends." Stephen took another sip of his drink, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for an escape or a distraction from the probing questions. Little did he know, his friends had just begun to scratch the surface of his mysterious absence.

"Does it have to do with a girl? seeing how it took so long to handle, you know, the business" Jeffrey asked sarcastically.

"Hey, Stephen doesn't keep women that close, I admit that he has many girls but none would qualify for a girlfriend, hahaha..." Mason jokingly defended Stephen.

Stephen's gaze drifted away, his eyes fixed on the dancers moving to the rhythm of the music, as if oblivious to the conversation. He swirled his drink, his expression neutral, deliberately avoiding eye contact with his friends. The mention of a girl had struck a nerve, and he wasn't about to reveal his secrets, especially not about Kyra. By ignoring the topic, he hoped to steer the conversation in a different direction, away from his complicated love life.

"Hey watch it, guys," Stephen said, his tone light bit laced with a subtle warning.

Jeffrey and Mason exchanged a knowing glance, sensing that the direction of the topic should change."Hey, no worries, man," Jeffrey said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "We're just giving you a hard time. So, what's new in the business world? Any exciting deals or ventures?"

Mason chimed in, "Yeah, let's talk about something that really matters, like your next big move."

The conversation shifted, and Stephen's expression relaxed, grateful for the change in topic. He took a sip of his drink, his eyes scanning the room as he launched into a story about his latest business conquest.They chatted for a while before Stephen stood up. "I'm going out to smoke a cigarette, I will be back, want some?"

"Not now, fine, join us when you are done." Jeffrey said, waving the idea of smoking, at least not for that moment.

Stephen nodded and made his way through the crowded club, the music and laughter fading into the background as he pushed open the door to the outdoor smoking area. The cool night air hit him like a refreshing splash, and he took a deep breath, feeling a moment of solitude wash over him. He lit his cigarette, the flame casting a brief glow on his face, and leaned against the wall, lost in thought. The sounds of the club grew distant, and for a moment, he was alone with his thoughts, the emptiness he'd been trying to fill with business and distractions momentarily exposed.The longing for Kyra deepened.