He sees it immediately. The tension in my shoulders, the way my mouth doesn’t know how to form a smile. The storm behind my eyes.
And he doesn’t hesitate. He doesn’t even glance at her. He walks straight to me and kisses me, soft, sure, and without apology. One hand finds the small of my back, the other brushesa piece of hair behind my ear, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
“You okay baby girl?”he asks softly. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and just give him a small nod. “Better now.”
“Well, well,well” mom says, voice clipped, “I see your relationship has… changed.”
Elijah doesn’t pull away. Not really. He stays close, fingers still anchored to me like a quiet shield. “It has,” he says, eyes locked on mine. “Took me a while, but I finally got her to want to make an honest man out of me.” His voice is calm, sure. Proud. Like there was never any doubt I was worth waiting for.
My mother tilts her head, smile tight. “I’m sure she’s grateful for the attention. Lord knows she doesn’t always make things easy for herself. This shop eats up every ounce of her time and energy, like she’s married to the damn place. No wonder she’s still single.”
I stiffen.
But Elijah’s whole demeanor shifts, subtle, but sharp. His tone stays calm, but there’s a steel edge to it now. “With all due respect, Tina, what Ava’s built here isn’t just impressive, it’s brave. She didn’t just open a shop, she created a space where people feel safe. Seen. She’s taken her dream and made it real, piece by piece, with grit and heart. You’d be amazed how many lives she touches just by being exactly who she is. And for the record, she’s not single anymore. She’s with me. She’s mine and I’m hers.”
Mom lifts her chin. “I didn’t mean—”
He meets her gaze, steady and unflinching. “Oh I know what you meant. That comment wasn’t just about her being alone. It was meant to diminish her, and us. To reduce what she’s built, who she is, and what we have. But that version of her? The one you keep trying to bring up? She doesn’t exist anymore. And I won’t let you talk about her like she does.”
I can only stare. Stunned. My heart is pounding, not with fear this time, but with something like awe.
My mother draws back slightly, lips parting in a faint scoff. “Well, I didn’t realize I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion.”
Elijah doesn’t flinch. “You’re allowed your opinion. But don’t mistake that for permission to disguise judgment as concern. Especially not when it comes to someone who’s done nothing but rise, despite everything.”
She glances between us, lips pursed. “Well. I suppose it’s good that someone appreciates her little bookstore.”
Elijah steps forward slightly, still calm, still steady. “It’s not little. It’s hers. And it’s thriving. And if you can’t see the value in that, or in her, that’s your loss.”
Silence falls, thick and sharp. My throat burns. My eyes sting.
Mom clears her throat. “I should be going.”
I nod. Say nothing. The door closes behind her with a jingle that sounds like a period at the end of a sentence I’ve been trying to finish for years.
Elijah turns to me. “You okay Baby?”
I shake my head a little, still stunned. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t have to,” he says, wrapping me in his arms. “Just know this, you’re not alone anymore. Not with her. Not with any of it.”
And in that moment—safe in his arms, warm in a shop I built with my own hands—I believe him.
Chapter sixteen
Ava
It’swarminthecafé—the scent of espresso, sugar, and old paper floating through the air. My little kingdom. My dream.
But I can’t settle.
Even surrounded by friends, laughter, and the clinking of cups, there’s a thread of tension running through me like a wire pulled too tight.
“Okay,” Mia says, eyes narrowing. “Spill.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, adjusting the stack of books on the display table like they suddenly need fixing.
Mia and Laura exchange a look over their lattes.
