an'

notice-even in a crowd, there's something about the way she mov

er if she's about to change her mind and walk out. But then she offers me a smal

e reaches the table. "You came," I

slides into the seat across fro

hing as she sets her phone on the table. "Was it t

laugh. "More like

l find that it'

ue. Instead, she glances toward th

ay, then motion toward the

ns before standing. "I'll ge

llow her. "B

les her nos

ing beside her in line. "I

that your whole philosop

ldn't you li

and I take that a

n us, but not awkward. She stirs her coffee absently, watching the foam swirl, while I

. "I feel like I should get to kn

ight with amusement. "Oh?

portant things. Favorite movie, weirde

tore, Ethan. Do you really exp

top t

flows easily-just like it did during our walk. She's funny in a way that catches me off guard, sharp

the worst TV endings of all time, she dr

hen I mentioned I was meeting you," she

tightening around

g. "He tried to play it off, but I could tel

g my head. "Sou

. "You two don't

k in my chair. "That'

e years of tension, the unspoken resentment, the way Oliver always keeps people at a dista

she lets it go. "Well, he seemed..

a laugh. "P

aybe that's the wrong word.

t, but I know him well enough to recognize when something is botherin

rest

of my coffee. "And

n eyebrow. "

out

ing her head. "You're rea

"Not my

head slightly. "I think

ffense. "

r n

nd for the first time in a while, I find myself intrigued no

r has a prob

t makes it all