ARIA'S POV
I told myself I wasn't thinking about whether he'd be there.
I went twenty minutes early to prove it. Ordered my coffee, opened my laptop, pulled up the grant file I needed to finish reviewing. Completely normal Tuesday. Just me and work and Joe spelling my name wrong on the cup.
He was already there.
Same table as last week. And on the surface in front of the empty chair across from him sat a second cup. He looked up when I walked in, not with the eagerness of someone who'd been watching the door, just the natural look-up of someone aware of their surroundings.
He slid the cup toward the empty chair without saying anything.
I sat down and looked at the coffee. Flat white.
He was already back to his screen.
I didn't say he was right. I picked it up and drank it and opene
