I

of my trembling fingers before I

the slash-like black

reads i

reathes, her voice droppin

r. Especially when

dication. "I knew it. I knew that golden-boy, Mr. Roger

, my voice crackin

shove it deep into my pocke

around

dy abandoned their cold teas and fl

other minute of their quiet

are two college kids p

ght on my heels as I abandon the register and

you seri

ver even moves in the wind. Nobody is that polished unless they're

nounce loudly to the

ging their backpacks over their shou

tic sign on the glass and aggressively flip it from OPEN to

shades down, blocking

oo small. Like the glass walls are still let

her through the swinging door int

beans and hazelnut syrup. It smells like

need predict

t walked in here and told you your fiancé-" She catches herself, rolling her eyes. "Oh wait, he hasn't pro

," I say, pacing the narrow aisl

ou should find

art counting bottles of caramel syrup, pure

's brain

nism. If I can plot

the clipboard. "Think about it, Gia. Logically. Ben is a sweet financial

dead at her. "But you k

e I've lost my mind.

blishing

e as I latch onto the only theory that

portunity.

down my neck, demanding I reveal my real identity to the press to boost s

iv

m. You know that, Gia!" I push on, my voice gaining strengt

s a publishing company, Liv. You really think he didn't know what one of

me. Boring, quiet Liv. And Apex knows that. They probably hired some intimidating actor to drop this note and m

s perfe

has

o stop pacing. She reaches out and taps the p

ld publishers did not hire a gu

k. "V-

ike she's explaining gravity to a toddler. "It's not just som

rip c

top one percent. I had a guy at the lounge drop five grand on a bottle of te

y. Still do

ncers wear custom tailored suits and carry actual firearms. You do n

red knuckles and a black metal cre

by the

to get my organs harveste

buzzes in

e. I pull it out

sauce for my girl. On my way to the cof

e the screen into Gia's face. "Read it. Does that

ng. She crosses her arms over her me

f he's really innocent, then you have nothing to lo

not

u not hear a word I

lear, especially the pa

re at ten o'clock, he isn't a hired actor from your

the clipboard to my chest like a shield. "Why would I wi

against the metal of t

ing the clipboard. G

voice filters through the steel. "I tried t

a

door and throw t

im. He's wearing a tailored navy coat, his light brown hair neatly swept back. His war

ic bag that smells heavenly

ngering kiss onto my forehead.

the, melting against the

iumphant look over

ct. My fut

er eyes to

lly registers Gia stand

top and lace bralette for a fraction of a secon

u?" he teases, shaking his head. "The

as you've only got eyes on your girl, Benny,

fazed. "Fair enough. Come o

my hands, sets it on the shelf, and

h my apron. But as Ben leads me out through the back exit

s par

ic trying to get a rise out of me. Ben is my

t alleyway, and Ben clicks the fob, p

rmurs, stopping right

side his navy

catches in

going to propose right now? In a ran

ates the fabric of his coat. A soft,

h

his

ght next to him, my hand resting

s down at

e vanishes. It happened so fast I would have mi

jaw

the glass, and he hits

fect smile sliding right back into place as he slips t

round the hood towar

n't

r door, the icy wind biting at my chee

I saw th

't a sp

ite letters across th

O