Page 87 of Safe With You

I stopped myself before the thought could finish.

The notification was from Naomi.

If you’re stopping anywhere before you get here, I need oat milk.

Of course she did.

Good morning to you too.

The three dots appeared.

Good morning. I need oat milk.

I smiled.

I’ll get it.

And vanilla syrup.

Now you’re pushing it.

We literally sell coffee, Luna.

I slipped my phone into my purse without answering.

By the time I pulled into Chapter & Charm, the morning had settled back into something familiar.

Naomi was waiting near the front door when I unlocked it.

Her eyes dropped immediately to the bag in my hand.

“You got the syrup?”

I handed it to her.

“No hello?”

“I texted you good morning.”

“That doesn’t count.”

“It absolutely counts.”

She took the bag anyway and headed toward the café.

I followed her inside, locked the door behind us, and switched on the lights.

One section at a time, Chapter & Charm woke up around me. The lamps between the shelves came on first, followed by the register and the music playing low through the speakers. Naomi started the café equipment while I opened the computer and checked the previous day’s numbers.

Normal. Exactly the way I liked it.

Yesterday morning had been different.

Cinnamon rolls on the café table. A laptop open between us. Ellis sitting across from me while we somehow turned a conversation about website pictures into almost two hours.

Today, his chair was empty.

I noticed it.