Avery POV
I gently pulled my wrist free from Kieran’s grasp, offering him a smile I didn’t mean. “I’ll be right back,” I lied.
As soon as I turned the corner, I quickened my steps toward the hospital’s exit. Once outside, I inhaled deeply, letting the crisp evening air rush into my lungs. My thoughts came flooding in, loud and overwhelming.
I thought about my café..the cozy little haven I’d worked so hard to build. Did my regular customers wonder where I’d gone? Or had they moved on, finding a new spot to grab their morning coffee? What about Mia? She’d probably turned the entire city upside down looking for me, only to be met with silence. I wonder if her mother's health is fully stable. I reached for my phone, dialing her number, but it went straight to voicemail.
And then there was
