★Nathan★
I couldn’t stop thinking about the look on Cassandra’s face when I finally believed her. The mixture of hurt and patience had stuck with me all night, long after she had gone home. I had handled things badly, worse than badly, if I was being honest. Even though she had forgiven me, I was not sure I had forgiven myself. By Sunday morning, the guilt had settled into something dull but persistent, like an ache I couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t just about Cassandra. I had overreacted with Eli, too, and the memory of walking away without letting him speak replayed over and over in my mind. He hadn’t deserved that. I had to make things right. The café was quiet when I arrived, the morning rush still an hour away. The air smelled like roasted beans and caramel syrup, and the faint hum of the
