The cursor blinked at me. Mocking.
I'd been staring at the same sentence for twenty minutes. Something about moisture-wicking fabric and peak performance. The words blurred together like alphabet soup.
My phone buzzed.
Jackson: *I'm going crazy. Coffee?*
I checked the time. Two PM on a Thursday. Not on the schedule. We had Valentine's dinner at my parents' in eleven days. Nothing before that.
ME: *Can't. Deadline.*
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
Jackson: *Please. I need a friendly face.*
My fingers hovered over the keyboard. I should say no. We had rules. Boundaries. A schedule specifically designed to minimize time together.
ME: *Where?*
He sent an address. A café I'd never heard of, twenty minutes away.
I closed my laptop and grabbed my coat.
The café was s
