The bell above the door jingled, and for a moment, I thought nothing of it. Just another customer, just another face among many, stepping into the quiet café on a Thursday afternoon. But when I looked up from the counter, everything inside me went still.
Zachary.
I froze, my fingers tightening around the mug I was cleaning. His gaze locked onto mine immediately, and I could feel my heart beat faster, out of control. His presence filled the space between us, larger than the small café, louder than the soft hum of the espresso machine. It felt like time had stopped, and the world outside had faded.
For a second, I thought I could slip away, maybe duck behind the shelves or out the back door. But I couldn’t. I was already too exposed. He saw me. And there was no running now.
He looked exa
