“Everything all right, darling?” Nina’s gentle voice broke my reverie. She leaned on the end of the shelf, her strawberry-scented perfume mingling with the musty smell of old paper.
I swallowed hard. Her concern made the ache in my chest widen as if I might start crying. “Not really,” I admitted, pressing a novel flat against my heart. “My sister’s pregnant, completely unplanned. We don’t know what to do.”
“Oh, Amelia.” Nina’s soft brown eyes filled with sympathy. “That’s always a heavy thing to bear.”
I bit my lip. “I feel so terrible for her.”
Nina gave a small, knowing smile, her handssteady as she helped me line up another row of books. “Sometimes it works out for the best,” she said, voice warm with memory.
“Why do you say that?”
“I was in my twenties when I found out I was expecting my daughter, totally unexpected.” She paused, straightening a stack of poetry volumes. “I was terrified. But fifteen years later, she’s the miracle I never knew I needed.”
I let her words settle around me. I’d never understood the depth of a mother’s love. “I guess I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
“Your sister will, too,” Nina assured me, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “The moment she holds that baby, regrets vanish. She’ll see the blessing in it.”
I shrugged, trying to believe her. “I hope you’re right. She wants to keep it, at least.”
“She should. It’ll be hard, but every challenge has its purpose.”
We traded a few more polite observations until my shift ended.
My nerves were fraying, so I texted Dante to meet me.
In our little town, gossip was a wildfire, and before long everyone would know about my sister’s condition.
Outside, a small coffee shop glowed under string lights a couple of blocks away. I found a wooden bench beneath a flickering lamppost and waited, the cool evening breeze tugging at my hair.
The comforting hiss of the café’s espresso machine leaked onto the sidewalk, and the rich aroma of roasted beans drifted around me.
Then Dante appeared. His easy smile lighting up the dusky street. My heart pounded as I stood and wrapped him in a quick hug, craving the safety of his arms.
“What’s up?” he asked, settling beside me. His jacket smelled like cedar and something familiar, something like home.
I took a steadying breath. Maybe he’d already heard. Better to rip off the bandage. “Caiden got my sister pregnant,” I blurted, voice tight. “He won’t admit it’s his responsibility, and it’s driving me crazy.”
Silence fell.
I watched the lamplight dance on his profile. He stared into the distance, brow furrowed, as if wrestling with words.
My scalp tingled. I wanted to lean in, press my lips to his cheek, bury my face in his neck.
Finally, he exhaled. “I’m so sorry, Amelia. I wish I could change him.”
I searched his face. “He won’t even listen to you?”
Dante shook his head, letting his hand hover before he placed it gently over mine. His touch was warm, tentative. “Caiden has his own demons. He trusts me enough to joke around, but when it comes to serious advice, he shuts down. I’ve tried everything.”
I clenched his hand, butterflies erupting in my chest. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I know.” He squeezed my fingers. “Just…sit with me for a while.”
We did. The street grew quieter as night deepened. We talked in fragments and let the comfortable silence slip in between us like a soft blanket.
After ten minutes, Dante spoke as he gazed at the flickering café sign. “I’ve hated watching from the sidelines.”
I looked at him, puzzled. “What do you mean?”
