I smile, walking up to the counter. “Life happened.”
“That’s not an answer,” he says, already reaching for a cup. “But I’ll allow it.”
I laugh. “I need two coffees. One normal. One… very normal but also emotionally supportive.” I grin. “And a club sandwich with fries.”
He snorts. “Rough week?”
“Interesting week,” I correct.
He rings me up. “I was starting to think you ghosted us.”
“I would never,” I say solemnly. “I’ve just been busy.”
“Busy how?” he asks, eyebrows wiggling. “You don’t strike me as the mysterious type.”
I lean against the counter. “I adopted a cat.”
He pauses mid-pour. “You what?”
“Against my will,” I say. “He showed up looking like he crawled out of a trash can. Caught him lapping at pickle juice.”
Aaron laughs. “What’s his name?”
“Mr. Pickles.”
He loses it. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not.”
“That’s incredible.”
“He’s feral,” I add. “Judgmental. Possibly possessed.”
“So he fits right in,” Aaron says, handing me a cup. “I approve.”
I grin, warmth spreading through my chest. I hadn’t realized how much I missed this—beingknownhere. Being normal.
“I might have also—” I start, about to tell him about Sebastian.
The bell jingles. The air immediately changes.
Sebastian stands just inside the doorway, eyes scanning the room like he walked into the wrong place and hasn’t decided whether to leave or burn it down.
His gaze is locked on me.
His eyes narrow when they move to Aaron. Something darker slides into place. His jaw tightens. His shoulders go rigid. His eyes flick to the cups on the counter and then to the way Aaron is smiling at me.
His hands tighten into fists, and he moves, walking toward us with controlled, deliberate steps.
“Hey,” I say, surprised but smiling. “What are you?—”
His hand comes down on the counter beside mine. Hard.
Aaron blinks, his smile fading. “Uh—hey, man.”
Sebastian doesn’t look at him. “I didn’t know you were coming out,” he says quietly, voice eerily calm considering the anger flaring in his eyes.
“I was just grabbing coffee for us,” I reply. “And a bite to eat.”
