The air shifted again.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
Amelia felt it the moment Daniel stepped fully into the space beside her, his presence steady, grounded in a way that didn’t demand attention—but commanded it anyway.
Alexander noticed it too.
Of course he did.
The way Daniel stood.
The way he didn’t rush.
Didn’t interrupt.
But didn’t step back either.
It was subtle.
But it was clear.
And for the first time since walking out of that restaurant.
Alexander wasn’t the only one holding ground.
Daniel’s gaze rested on him calmly, his expression polite, composed, but there was something underneath it now. Something firm. Something that didn’t need to be spoken to be understood.
“She said she’d be right back,” Daniel said, his voice even. “So I came to check.”
Simpl
