The bell over the door rings.
A man in a navy jacket steps in, holding up a badge.
“Health department. I’m here for an inspection.”
My stomach dips—not because we’re dirty, but because… we’re not due for one. Those are usually scheduled. Annual. Boring.
Still, I smile. “Of course. Go right ahead.”
He nods and starts walking the space, clipboard in hand.
Ashton comes up beside me, lowering her voice. “Is this normal?”
“Not really,” I whisper back. “But we’re fine. We always are.”
We go back to work while he checks everything. Fifteen minutes pass. Maybe twenty.
Finally, he comes back to the counter.
“All right,” he says. “I’ve completed the inspection.”
“Oh,” I say. “Did everything look okay?”
“You’ll receive the results shortly.”
I frown. “Usually they tell us right away.”
He gives a tight, professional smile. “You’ll know shortly.”
And then he leaves. Ashton and I stare at each other.
“That was… weird,” she says.
“Yeah,” I agree. “It was.”
We both shake it off and go back to work.
The bell rings again.
I don’t look up right away.
When I do, my brain stalls.
Nathan stands just inside the door. Next to him is a man about his height, broad-shouldered, familiar in that way you only realize a second too late.
Wait.
I blink.
Isn’t that the celebrity football player?
I think that’s Bishop Towns.
Ashton, of course, realizes it instantly.
“Oh,” she says. “Well, that explains the shoulders.”
Bishop smiles politely. “Hi.”
