e call from her best

d again. She stared at the screen

She exhaled sharply

lo I

it

ing the phone slight

whole damn time but you are not pickin

rubbing her temple. "I am

n't pick, didn't respond, let alone opening my messages. Do you know how worried

na Ch

ors that I got your damn back...you always get to

n the other side of the li

with Liam but you both chos

ot answer, wh

me worrie

date in the evening after work so fo

laughed out loud so hard that she could n

obal

ke care of yourself, respond to m

ou, best

ne wen

*

he of

. The office noise crept back into her awareness, keyboards tapping, distant printers

he way his voice had wrapped

urred into emails, numbers into signatures. Twice she caught herself staring i

thin thread. She packed up quickly, ignoring the curious glance

affic building, people spilling onto sidewa

ply, she needed thi

*

l Cafe–

rm golden lights hung from the ceiling, reflecting off polished wood tables. It was i

her shoulders, bold red lipstick, oversized sunglasses perched dramatically on her head despite

up and saw Arianna,

ut couldn't suppress her smile. Isla stood u

squeezed stres

Isla muttered i

kno

ightly, hands still

," Isla narrowed he

ffened. "Di

lo

coffed. "

ly. "You're glowing. O

l latte while Arianna requested a glass of water first. She need

t tal

d slowly. "It

ious

even suppose

" Isla roll

own at her hands

s shot up.

e" she let out al

. "Wait. The

es

ooding, corpo

, Is

just...

a cl

the table sof

s w

nd

nd we've seen each ot

ramatically. "In two days?

ated. Isla's

ept wit

n them. Isla placed he

inally me

es

squealed so loudly that a couple

She leaned in, lowering her voice. "O

s was Isla. There had never been

nse," she ad

int

e drifted som

watches. Even before he touches y

allowed

for words that wouldn't sound like surrender. "It

min

confirmed it. Isla

O

spread acr

hh

not

ughing. I'm

ldn't hide the faint sm

Liam?" Isla

ed slightly at

oyalty, patience, therapy sessio

dn't answe

nxiety, ga

s jaw ti

niverse sends you someone who actually w

kily. "Or someone w

s h

n't k

carefully. "Do

I will see you again. Wear the mem

ghtened. "I fe

miled

that's not a

for a moment, the weight of that

. A subtle shift rip

straightened instinctively. Her pulse changed

and crisp white shirt beneath. That same controlled posture, that

d Arianna's

she whi

O

ot scanning, not searching but direct an

unhurried but

's mind

did he know

adn't posted anything, her

their table. "

was smooth

ce while Arianna

ou know I

lickered briefl

you have to be

ianna excha

answer," Ariann

s hands into h

usiness

s conve

tened but on

oping to

ed between them like she was

andom cafes hoping to fin

closer. "You underestim

r throat loudly

ention shift

ien

ds. Isla studi

actly how sh

choked

slightly. "And how

d sweetly.

her lightly u

to Arianna, something

s

dly, asking if Damien woul

eplied without looki

sat in a trian

casually, clearly

htly, "how do you t

Damien ans

ianna corrected

d faintly. "B

kled. "I like hi

her in disbelief.

nd

e arrived. He

about her," he sai

linked.

n't hav

aid it wasn't dismissive but

ied him c

nally. "Because if

witched faintly

en asked Isla about her work, while he listened attentively.

d brush lightly against Arianna's

lf to take a phone call outsid

follow

verywhere?" He leaned closer. "I

ht. "That wasn'

d softly. "It

lse thundere

mie

ying with yo

pped, strippe

s is a coincid

what i

gaze steadil

just then, cut

m, "this is either the beginning of a

d faintly. "

eath the attraction and the thrill and the

m showing up, she was a