The café looks exactly the same. Small, cozy, with mismatched furniture and local art on the walls. Lina is already there, sitting at our usual table by the window.
She sees me and jumps up, pulling me into a hug before I can even sit down. “Anna! You look amazing!”
I don’t feel amazing. I feel exhausted and paranoid and like I’m playing a role in someone else’s life.
“You look good too,” I say.
We sit. A waitress comes over, and we both order lattes. When she leaves, Lina leans forward with her elbows on the table. “Okay, spill. Married life. How is it really?”
“It’s fine.”
“You keep saying that. Fine. What does that mean?”
“It means we’re adjusting. The twins are settling in. It’s a big change.”
“I bet. That house is insane. I looked it up online. Your husband owns like half the city.”
“He’s successful.”
“He’s terrifying. Those photos of him online, he looks like he could kill someone with his bare hands.”
She has no idea how accurate that is.
“He’s not that bad,” I lie.
“Really? Because you disappeared right after the wedding, and no one heard from you. Your parents wouldn’t tell me anything except that you were fine. I was starting to worry.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve just been busy.”
“Too busy for your best friend?”
Guilt twists in my stomach. “I’m sorry. I should have called.”
“Yes, you should have. But you’re here now, so I’ll forgive you.” She grins. “Tell me about him. Luca. What’s he actually like?”
“Cold. Calculating. Focused on business.”
“But he’s good to you? And the twins?”
I hesitate. “He provides for us.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
The waitress returns with our lattes. I take a sip, buying time.
“He’s not cruel,” I say finally. “Just distant.”
“Distant how?”
“He has his world. I have mine. We exist in the same space but not really together.”
Lina frowns. “That sounds lonely.”
“It is what it is.”
“And the twins? How are they handling having a new stepfather?”
My hands tighten around the coffee cup. “They’re adjusting.”
