And breathe.
Pushing down the lightheadedness with sheer willpower. Grounding myself.
My vision clears as Chandler reaches the door. He pauses, looks down at a wooden statue of a bear that guards it, and rubs the damn thing’s head before shoving out into the winter morning.
All while I sit here barely able to do much more than breathe.
And that’s before I realize my scone is gone and he has it in his hand.
The fuckertook my scone.
Know what’s worse than having an asshole think he got the better of you?
Agreeing with him.
“Did he take your puzzle piece along with your treat?” Bitsy asks me as the door shuts behind him.
My nod is jerky.
Shetsks.
I feel a heavy weight drilling into the back of my head.
Sabrina’s watching me grim-faced from the kitchen.
Zen’s beside her, even more grim-faced.
Both of them watching me like they want to know what I’ll do next.
Answer’s pretty simple.
I will fucking destroy everything he loves. But apparently not while I’m face to face with the bastard.
Sabrina looks at the door.
At the carved wooden bear.
Then back at me.
She saw too.
She knows this café means something to him.
She ducks her head and retreats back to the kitchen.
Jimmy, one of the older guys, looks at Zen. “He gives you any trouble, you let me know.”
Zen blinks once, then also retreats to the kitchen.
Jimmy looks at me and nods.
I nod back.
The very worst thing about being here? About what I want to do here?
I’m starting to like it.
For me. For Zen.
