It was terrifying.
It was also the first thing that had felt right in a very long time.
Chapter 7
Silas
My first attempt at getting closer to Sable Wynn happened three days after the coffee shop meeting, and it went about as well as a medical call where the patient insists they’re fine while actively bleeding out.
I’d thought about it carefully. Hadn’t wanted to come on too strong or make her uncomfortable. Just a simple gesture. Coffee. The right kind of coffee, because I’d been paying attention during our brief conversations and I’d noticed she always ordered tea at The Brew instead of their usual coffee drinks.
So I’d asked Sarah, casually, what Sable usually ordered. Sarah had given me a knowing look but had answered: oat milk latte, two sugars, but only when they had oat milk in stock. Otherwise she always went with black, two sugars.
Perfect. Simple. A thoughtful gesture from someone who’d noticed a small detail.
I showed up at the emergency services office at nine in the morning with two oat milk lattes, figuring I could claim I’d gotten one for myself and thought she might want one too.
“Morning, Coordinator Wynn,” I said, walking into her office with what I hoped was a casual, friendly smile.
She looked up from her desk, where she’d been elbow-deep in paperwork, and her expression immediately went wary. “Silas. Is there an emergency?”
“No emergency. Just thought you might want coffee.” I set one of the cups on her desk. “Oat milk, two sugars. Noticed you usually get tea because the coffee shop runs out of oat milk, so I figured I’d save you the disappointment.”
She stared at the cup like I’d just placed a live grenade on her desk. “You brought me coffee.”
“Is that... bad?”
“Why?”
“Because I was getting myself one and thought you might want one too?” It sounded weak even to my own ears.
“Silas.” She sat back in her chair, crossing her arms. “What’s happening here?”
“Coffee. Coffee is happening. Very simple. Very innocent coffee.”
“Right.” But she didn’t look convinced. Still, after a long moment, she picked up the cup and took a careful sip. Her scent softened slightly, and I felt my sensitivity pick up on surprise and pleasure before she locked it down again. “Thank you. It’s good.”
“You’re welcome.” I backed toward the door, sensing I’d used up whatever goodwill I’d earned. “I’ll let you get back to work.”
I made it halfway down the hallway before I realized that Beau was coming from the other direction, also carrying a coffee cup.
We both stopped.
“Please tell me that’s not for her,” I said.
“I bring her coffee sometimes,” Beau said carefully. “It’s not a thing.”
“I literally just brought her coffee.”
“How was I supposed to know that?”
“The group text. That we started specifically so this wouldn’t happen.”
Beau had the grace to look sheepish. “I didn’t think to check it. It’s just coffee.”
“That’s what I said. And now she’s going to think we coordinated this.”
“Did we?”
