“I don’t hate nature, but I don’t make a point of being in it.”
Olivia snorted. “Aren’t you always in nature as soon as you step outside? Even most buildings are made up of natural resources.”
“True. You can’t escape nature on this planet.” A pause. “Tragic.”
“So what do you do? Stalk from one building to the next and minimize your time outside?”
“Like a vampire avoids sunlight.” Jaime hummed, taking a sip of her own cup. “I spend quite some time at a local bookstore that also has a little café in it. It’s calledneverending pages.”
Olivia shook her head. “Never heard of it.”
“Might be a bit far off your beaten track,” Jaime said with a casual shrug. “It’s tucked away near a quieter part of town, not too far from my home, actually. I’m a regular, spend most Thursday evenings there.” Jaime held Olivia’s gaze.
Olivia drank more coffee, enjoying the hot, perfectly sweetened drink, while her brain still tried to figure out what was going on, and if Jaime’s significant look meant what she thought it did.
She supposed there was one way of finding out.
dumber than a moth
Jaimeclosedherlaptopand stared sullenly at the last dregs of coffee swirling in her cup. She never went out of her way for people—well, not in her private life, and not counting her mother, who didn’t…count.
She had also never failed at letting go, at retreating when something threatened her longstanding routine. She didn’t long for nor need the company of others, yet she hadn’t been able to stop herself from carrying those blasted insulated cups to Freedom Park, sitting on that hard bench for almost half an hour, hoping her research had been right and most runners took that particular trail.
God, she was beyond pathetic.
She was about to rise and head back home when the bell chimed and the door toneverending pagesflung open, revealing a breathless, flushed Olivia Gray in the doorway, glancing around the room.
Jaime quickly opened her laptop again, focusing on the screen while she grasped her empty coffee cup.
Steps drew closer, then a soft, “Fancy meeting you here,” rang out.
Jaime feigned surprise when she looked up, though her smile was genuine. “Hello, Counselor. What brings you to this part of town on such a lovely Thursday evening?”
Olivia rolled her eyes and dropped into the chair across from Jaime. “A long car drive, stuck in more traffic than I’d bargained for.”
“It’s unwise to underestimate Atlanta traffic.”
“You don’t say.”
A server stopped by and took their orders, a coffee for both, though Jaime really shouldn’t. She’d be up all night if she consumed more caffeine.
Olivia surveyed the room, her gaze drifting from the arrays of bookshelves all around to the back section housing couches and sofa chairs for people to settle in and read, before returning to the more rustic chairs and tables of the café section.
She reached out her hand and touched the white lit candle standing in the middle of their table. “I like the atmosphere.”
Jaime nodded. “There’s a reason I’m a regular.”
“Naturally. It must be a spectacular place if it manages to drawyouin.” Mirth danced in Olivia’s eyes.
“Of course. I have impeccable taste, after all.”
Olivia chuckled.
Their drinks arrived, and Jaime traced the rim of her mug. Now that Olivia was here, she didn’t know what to say. Perhaps she should have thought this through better.
“Is the clientele always so…diverse?” Olivia asked, ending the small lull in their conversation.
“Huh?” Jaime glanced around, noting people from all different walks of life. “I guess so.”
