Stacks & Stilettos

Donnah sat in her office, staring blankly at the computer screen. The hum of the air conditioning and the soft buzz of phones ringing in the background were all she could hear. It had been a week since she and Kaylee had reconnected, and the weight in her chest felt a little lighter. But she still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. She had come so far, built herself back up, but it wasn’t enough. There were still days when she questioned whether she was really living or just going through the motions.

A notification pinged on her phone. She glanced at it, rolling her eyes when she saw the name on the screen: Wesley Benson Clarke.

She hesitated. It had been three days since their awkward conversation at the café. After that, he’d been persistent in sending messages, trying to make her smile, trying to get her attention. But Donnah wasn’t in the mood to play games.

She opened the message anyway.

"Hey, I hope you're not too busy. I’d love to catch up. When can I see you?"

She stared at the screen, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Did she really want to see him again? Was she ready to dive into whatever this was between them, or was she just craving the attention?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Emmanuel knocked lightly on the door, his head poking through.

“Oi, Donnah, you good? You look like you’re in another world.” He grinned, holding up a coffee cup.

She smiled. Emmanuel had become more than a friend during her time in tech. He was the one who had believed in her when she wasn’t sure she believed in herself. “Yeah, just thinking.”

“About Mr. Clarke?”

Donnah rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the faint smile. “You know about him, huh?”

Emmanuel leaned against her desk. “You’ve got that look—the one where you’re trying to pretend like you don’t care, but we all know better.”

Donnah let out a breath, running her fingers through her hair. “I don’t know what to make of him, Emmanuel. I really don’t.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re talking about a man who looks at you like you’re the only person in the room, and you’re not sure what to do? Girl, you’re the one playing it cool here.”

Donnah chuckled, but there was a hollow feeling behind it. She’d been hurt before, and she wasn’t eager to dive back into a relationship where she could be left questioning her worth. The past with Jeffrey had scarred her in ways she hadn’t even realized until recently.

“I’m just... tired of the games, you know?” she admitted, her voice softer now.

Emmanuel nodded, taking a seat across from her. “I get it. But if you keep closing yourself off, how are you ever gonna know what’s on the other side?”

She looked at him, his words hanging in the air. “I don’t even know what I want right now. Maybe I just want to focus on me for once.”

He gave her a warm smile. “That’s fine. Focus on you, but don’t shut everything else out. You deserve the love and the life you want, Donnah. It’s yours for the taking.”

The sincerity in his eyes made her pause. She had always admired Emmanuel’s optimism, his ability to see the best in people—even when they couldn’t see it in themselves.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. Wesley had sent another message. This time, he was straightforward:

"Look, I know I’ve been persistent, but I really just want to make it right. I can’t stop thinking about you, Donnah. Can we talk?"

She stared at the screen, her heart thudding in her chest. What was she supposed to do with this? How could she let herself trust again?

Emmanuel’s voice broke through her thoughts. “You know what? Go. Go meet him. I’ll hold down the fort here.”

Donnah looked up at him, surprised. “You think I should?”

He gave her a gentle smile. “You deserve the chance to see where things go. If he’s the one, you’ll know. But you won’t know if you don’t give it a shot.”

She paused, looking down at her phone. Wesley had made it clear he wanted to make amends. And maybe, just maybe, she could take a step forward without completely letting go of her guard.

“Alright. Fine. But if I end up regretting this, I’m blaming you,” she said, a grin tugging at her lips.

Emmanuel laughed. “Deal.”

That evening, Donnah found herself standing outside a trendy bar, wondering if she was making the right decision. She had chosen a simple but flattering outfit—nothing too flashy, but enough to show she wasn’t trying too hard. She was ready to meet him, but she still didn’t know if she was ready to confront her feelings.

Wesley had picked the place—a stylish rooftop with a view of the city skyline. She could see the lights of the city stretching out before her, the hum of the city’s pulse vibrating beneath her feet.

“Donnah.”

She turned to find him standing behind her, looking as put-together as ever. His crisp white shirt clung to his broad shoulders, and his eyes, the same deep brown she remembered, softened when he saw her.

“I’m glad you came,” he said, his voice sincere.

Donnah nodded, but her heart raced. “I almost didn’t,” she admitted, her gaze shifting to the view, unable to meet his eyes just yet.

Wesley stepped closer, his presence commanding but gentle. “I won’t waste your time. I just... I want to show you that I’m serious about this. About us. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to.”

She looked at him then, and for the first time, she allowed herself to really see him—past the exterior, past the walls he had built. Maybe he was just as uncertain as she was, trying to figure things out too.

She didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she was ready to take a step forward—into the unknown.

“Alright,” she said quietly, her voice steady. “Let’s see where this goes.”

Wesley smiled, his hand reaching out to her. She hesitated for just a second before taking it, letting the warmth of his touch send a rush of electricity through her. This was just the beginning, and whatever happened next, she was ready.