Gemotions

The familiar jingle of Ben's ringtone pierced the quiet of the restaurant. Across the candlelit table, Amelia watched him answer with a practiced nonchalance. His voice dropped, became hushed, the words flowing in a rapid cadence she didn’t recognize. The glow of the candles seemed to dim, swallowed by the sudden chill that settled in her.

When he hung up, he looked across the table, his face devoid of its usual warmth. "Business," he said, the word clipped. Amelia felt a cold, hard stone lodge in her gut. She’d known him for ten years, and this felt…wrong.