"You do," Adrienne agrees, but her expression softens. "This is serious, Ax. Whatever's going on with this woman and her child, it's not a game."
"I know that," I say quietly. "Trust me, I know."
She studies me for a moment longer. "Go. And keep me updated."
I fold the paper carefully, tucking it into my wallet. "Will do."
I'm already halfway out the door when Adrienne calls after me. "Axel? Be careful. With your heart, I mean."
I pause, hand on the doorframe. "Too late for that," I admit, then slip out before she can respond.
I race to my truck, Melissa's contact information burning in my pocket. Sadie needs to know about this, now. The drive to Pike's Perk feels endless, my mind spinning with everything I want to tell her. This is a solid lead, a real chance, something concrete I can offer instead of just empty comfort.
When I push through the café door, the familiar bell jingles overhead, but something feels off immediately. The afternoon rush is in full swing, customers lined up at the counter, but Sadie isn't behind it. Instead, Rowan looks up, surprise flashing across her face before she smooths it away.
"Hey," I say, approaching the counter and scanning the room again. "Is Sadie around?"
Rowan studies me for a beat too long. "She took the afternoon off."
My stomach drops. In all the times I've been here, I've never seen Sadie absent during business hours. Not once.
"Is everything okay?" I try to keep my voice casual, but Rowan's expression sharpens.
"She's upstairs," she says finally, her voice dropping so only I can hear. “She’s supposed to be on the phone with her lawyer all morning."
Relief floods me. "That's good. Actually, I have something that might help." I pat my pocket where Melissa's information sits. "Attorney referral."
Rowan hesitates, glancing at the line forming behind me. She gives me a tight nod. "She could use… a friend right now."
“Yeah, I’m trying to be that for her.” I give her a small wave and walk back outside to head toward my truck but I pause for a second before deciding to go around back.
I follow the sidewalk to the narrow staircase that leads to Sadie's apartment. Each step feels like crossing some invisible boundary, moving from the public space of the café into her private world.
At the top, I hesitate before knocking. What if she doesn't want me here? What if I'm overstepping? But the memory of her text last night, the raw vulnerability in those words, pushes me forward. Three quick knocks.
Silence stretches. I'm about to knock again when the door cracks open.
Sadie stands there, eyes red-rimmed, hair pulled into a messy bun. She's wearing soft gray sweatpants and an oversized sweater, so different from her crisp café owner appearance that it momentarily stuns me.
"Axel?" Her voice is hoarse, like she's been crying or arguing or both. "What are you doing here?"
"I have something for you." I pull out the paper with Melissa's information. "An Oregon attorney referral. My sister knows her, says she's the best. Specializes in complex custody cases."
She studies the paper, frowning. "I already have a lawyer."
I step closer, lowering my voice. "You have options because I won’t let you fight this alone. Not anymore. I let her see I mean it. She might push me back, but I’m not leaving.
Sadie looks up, her eyes searching mine, that look of uncertainty from a second ago replaced with something else… something I’ve seen a hundred times before in a woman’s eyes when she looks at me like that.
"Why are you here? Really?"
The question hangs between us. I could make an excuse, the attorney info, checking on her, just passing by. But the rawness in her eyes deserves honesty.
"I wanted to see you," I admit quietly. “I can’t stop thinking about you, about that kiss.”
She exhales, a soft sound that might be surprise or relief. I can't tell which. We stand there, frozen in her doorway, me outside, her in, the threshold between us like a physical barrier.
I hold myself back, barely. Every muscle wants to cross that threshold, pull her flush against me, kiss away the shadows in her eyes. I force the need down, keep my stance loose, but my body’s already hers. "I was worried. Rowan said you took the afternoon off."
