The bell above the café door chimed softly as I stepped inside. The scents of fresh coffee and pastries greeted me, and constant, quiet conversation filled the space. Somewhere behind the counter, the espresso machine hissed. It was the kind of background noise that helped me focus.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and joined the shortqueue. So far, the day had been a smooth one. Quiet, even. I'd finally hit a rhythm with work again, and with Marcus taking care of the finances, I had one less thing to juggle.
I stretched my shoulders and exhaled slowly, letting the comfort of the moment sink in. It felt good to not have to rush or overthink anything. Just coffee, maybe something sweet to take back with me. Nothing complicated.
When I reached the counter, I glanced up at the menu out of habit even though I already knew what I wanted. The barista smiled as she rang up my order and entered the total into the till. I pulled out my card and tapped it against the reader without thinking.
Declined.
I frowned and tried again.
Declined.
A dull prickle of unease worked its way up my neck. I glanced at the card and tried inserting it to use the PIN.
Declined.
The barista gave me a polite but expectant look.
My mouth felt dry. I cleared my throat and forced a quick smile as I tucked the card back into my wallet. "Sorry, I – I must've grabbed the wrong one. Just a second."
I stepped aside and pulled out my phone. It could've been the machine. Or the bank flagged something random. They did that sometimes. Or Marcus had moved funds around and forgot to tell me.
I unlocked the screen, but my thumb stopped before it hit the banking app.
He never sent me the new password. I still couldn't check it.
I didn't want to have that conversation where other people could overhear. So I slid the phone back into my pocket and left the café without my order.
By the time I got to Marcus's flat, my mind was alreadysorting through the possibilities. A glitch. A hold. Some notice I missed. Nothing serious. It had to be something like that.
Marcus stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a glass of wine in hand. He looked up as I walked in, and his smile softened when he saw me. "Hey. I didn't know you were coming by today."
I opened my mouth to tell him what happened at the café – but then I hesitated. The tightness in my shoulders hadn't fully eased, but the warmth of his voice, the way he immediately focused on me, made it feel almost childish to bring it up.
He set the glass aside and stepped closer. His hands slid over my arms, his touch light and familiar. "You okay?"
For a second, I forgot what I'd come to say.
And just like that, the moment passed.
I let out a breath and nodded. "Yeah. Just needed a break."
He brushed a kiss against my temple before pulling back and stepping away. This wasn't the right time to bring up the card problem. I'd do it later.
Instead, I went to sit on the sofa to catch my breath. My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen to find a text from Eli:I'm heading back to London this weekend. You free before then?
The unease in my chest finally loosened. Eli had been in town for a few weeks.Muchlonger than he typically stays, yet somehow, we hadn't really talked during that time. I hadn't meant to stay away quite that long. But now that things had settled and I felt more like myself, I liked the idea of being able to see him before he left.
I heard shuffling behind me and turned to find Marcus hovering nearby. His face was calm and didn't give anything away, but his gaze dropped to my phone.
I didn't give it much thought as I started typing out a reply. "Just Elias. He's headed back soon. He wants to meet upbefore he leaves town."
The change in Marcus was subtle. A slight tilt of his head, the barest flick of his eyes from the screen to my face. It made me feel like I'd been caught doing something illegal. "I thought you two were taking a break."
I fidgeted in my seat, not quite sure why I felt the need to explain. "It's been a while. And my head's clearer now. It can't hurt."
"If you’re sure. I just don't want you to undo all the progress you made."
