KAREN
I walked into Greenville Cafe with a sense of purpose that had nothing to do with work and everything to do with romance and expectation. This was where I was meant to be. This was where Luca was meant to meet me. I had dressed for it, planned for it, and cleared my schedule for it. That alone should have been enough.
The cafe was already busy, filled with low conversation and the steady movement of waiters carrying trays. I took it in briefly before heading toward the front desk, my expression calm, and my steps measured.
The manager greeted me with a professional smile.
“Good afternoon, ma’am. Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes please,” I answered easily.
“And the name, please?”
“Karen Forge and Luca Morgan.”
He nodded and began scrolling through the list on his tablet. I wat
