"We did." She closed the folder. "But you're the one who knew what questions to ask and when to stop talking so people could hear themselves answer." She looked at me then. "That's not nothing, Nadia. That's actually hard to do."
She was right. I knew she was right, even though I struggled to accept it. We'd done something real tonight. Created something that could actually work, and I didn't know what to say to that.
Nor had I thought of anything by the time she said her goodbyes and left. It was while watching her cross the shop floor that Daemon and Cole appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
Rather than join Daisy and me in the kitchen, they headed for the shop, the heavy front doors opening and closing soon after.
We'd driven here separately, but Daemon leaving without a word still hurt. My gut had been right. He was pulling away.
I distracted myself the way I always did when faced with disappointment: helping Daisy with the cups, the two of us moving around each other with the easy familiarity of women who knew not to get in each other's way.
In the end, there was nothing left to do. Daisy dried her hands and said she'd better get up to Josh, leaving me to collect my bag and head for the front doors so she could lock up after me.
It was only upon stepping outside that I saw Daemon. He was standing with Cole in front of the dry-cleaners next door, their backs mostly to me, voices low.
I stopped where I was.
I couldn't make out the words. Whatever was passing between them was deliberate and quiet. Cole had his head down, eyes on the sidewalk, while Daemon listened with his arms crossed, the way he stood when he was deep in thought.
Then Cole looked out at the street and said something short. One sentence, maybe two. He didn't look at Daemon when he said it.
Daemon was quiet before he said something equally brief in return.
I must have moved, because Daemon turned.
He saw me and went still.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey." I kept my voice even. "I’m heading home."
He glanced at Cole, who hadn't moved. "I'll walk you to your van."
I looked past him to where Cole stood, eyes still on the street. He had the stillness of someone who'd said something that hadn’t been appreciated.
I filed it away. Whatever that had been, it wasn't mine to ask about. Not tonight.
"That went well," I said to Daemon, the words coming out faster than I intended.
"Yeah. You were good in there," he said, slinging his arm around my shoulders and squeezing.
"Thanks." I smiled at him, feeling hopeful for the first time in days. "This could really work, you know? Not just fighting off Elevate, but building something sustainable. A real business alliance."
"Maybe."
I kept talking, the ideas coming now. "We could expand next year. Bring in more businesses, create different package tiers, maybe even go regional." I knew I was chattering but couldn't seem to stop. "Other towns dealing with the same thing could use this model."
Daemon's face went carefully blank.
The shift was subtle but unmistakable. The emotional shutters coming down. The distance back. Damn it. I'd been right to be nervous.
"Next year," he repeated, his tone neutral.
"Yeah. Once we prove the concept works here, we could—" I stopped, really looking at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Daemon—" I said after unlocking my van.
