It was more of a relief than it probably should have been that Amber decided to join him. Foreman didn't know whether to be relieved or to brace himself for the questions she'd fling at him. If she acted like she'd caught him cheating on her, it'd be about the only thing that could make this lunch even worse. The clatter of her tray showed Amber was still angry. Foreman glanced up, chewing on his bite, trying to get a sense of just how badly this was going to go.

But instead of anger, Amber's face was flushed, and she was staring down at her lap like someone had just died. Without being correctly diagnosed. Because of her. Foreman swallowed, bread scraping the sides of his throat as he did. Knowing how competitive Amber was, and how tense she'd gotten when Shanelle had greeted him, he'd expected the worst. It hadn't even crossed his mind that Amber might apologize. He sat up a bit, shoulders easing, and he set the sandwich back on his plate. He'd bet he wasn't quite concealing his surprise. "I felt like an idiot," he said, the admission slipping out, acknowledging what she'd said but trying not to dwell on it or make her feel worse. "Seeing her." The timing couldn't have been worse. Maybe he shouldn't have brought Amber here. But it had to happen sooner or later, with her exes if not his.

Hesitating, he considered the rest of his lunch again. He wanted to reach out to her, but the farthest he got was putting his hand out on the table, offering to hold hers if she'd mirror the gesture. "I'm sorry it happened. I didn't want to ruin lunch."