I fed the cats and stood at the window in my robe while the street below was still mostly empty and thought about Jasper waiting on the sidewalk while I locked up. The way he’d saidlock up, Caralike it was the most natural thing in the world to still be standing there. The light from the window above, and him looking up at it, and me knowing he was there even before I reached the glass. I’d stood at that window longer than I meant to, then felt embarrassed about it.
I got dressed and texted Lucy to make sure we were still on for coffee.
Gravel crunched beneath my tires as I pulled into the Coffee Cabin parking lot. The morning had that hazy, washed-out quality that came with early hours in Honeybrook Hollow—sun up but not doing much yet, the sky the color of bleached denim.The Coffee Cabin sat at the front of the lot like a weathered sentinel, its dark log walls softened by years of rain and sun, the walk-up window already open and releasing the sharp, welcoming scent of freshly ground espresso mingled with warm vanilla and cinnamon. A short line of cars idled in the drive-up lane. Two stools at the counter were already occupied.
By my sisters. Of course.
I parked and crossed the lot, the brisk air nipping at my cheeks. The hiss of steamed milk and the low sound of Eliza’s voice calling out orders drifted toward me, and the tightness that had been sitting quietly in my chest since I woke up eased by a fraction. This was what Saturday mornings were for.
Eliza glanced up from behind the espresso machine the moment I came into view, her hands never slowing. “There she is,” she said, already pulling a fresh shot. “What are you having?”
“Vanilla latte. Some things never change,” I said, sliding onto the empty stool beside Lucy.
A warm ceramic cup appeared on the counter moments later. I wrapped both hands around it and let the heat seep into my fingers.
Lucy turned to look at me, studying my face for answers. “You seem happy,” she said, nudging my shoulder lightly with hers.
“It went well,” I said. “Didn’t it?”
She let out a quiet laugh and tilted her head. “That’s one way to put it.”
“It was more than that.” Piper leaned forward from Lucy’s other side, catching my eye. She’d come in already flushed from the bakery, a faint dusting of flour still along her forearm that she hadn’t noticed. “People were talking about it this morning. Two separate customers mentioned it.” She paused. “You might have to plan another one.”
I stared into the swirling foam of my drink, watching the steam curl upward and vanish. Another one. The thought landed somewhere between exhausting and thrilling, which was probably how I knew it was a good idea. “I just wanted people to have fun,” I said.
“They did,” Lucy said, turning toward me on her stool. Her voice was simple and certain. “Because of you.”
I didn’t know what to do with that, so I took a sip of my coffee instead and let the warmth of it settle alongside everything else.
Piper was quiet for a moment, both hands wrapped around her cup, watching me patiently; she was good at waiting without pushing. Then she said, “How are you feeling? Really?”
“Good,” I said, and meant it. “Tired, but—good. I feel like it went well and I’m still shocked that it did.”
“It totally did,” Eliza called from behind the counter, not looking up.
Lucy set her cup down with a small, deliberate click. “So,” she said.
I exhaled. “No.”
“We’re talking about him.”
“We’re not. Okay, which him? I need to know which argument to start.”
“Jasper, of course. We need to talk about Eric, too, but that can wait.” She turned on her stool to face me fully, one elbow on the counter, the picture of patient determination. “He stayed. After everyone left. He didn’t have to do that.”
“He was helping clean up.”
“Uh, uh. No. You texted me when you got upstairs. He waited for her,” she informed everyone. “Outside. While she locked up. That is not just clean up help. That is something else entirely.”
I looked out across the parking lot, watching a car ease forward in the drive-up line. A crow landed on the hood of the truck two spaces down, regarded the situation, and flew away.I understood the impulse. I was not good at being the center of attention.
“He’s nice,” I said weakly.
Piper made a quiet sound beside Lucy. Not quite a disagreement. More like an addendum.
Paige shook her head once from her spot by the railing. “He’s more than nice.” I turned back to her. “He’s reliable,” she said. “Shows up on time, does the work right, doesn’t cut corners. And he pays attention. He’s a good guy. A rare, legitimate, good man.”
Lucy nodded in agreement. “He listens, too.”
