Chapter Twenty

The next morning, I sat at a table in the corner of the coffee shop while I waited for Caroline. Since I was on the opposite side of town, I’d called her only a few moments after getting home from Jacob’s apartment demanding we meet up soon. And she’d agreed without any hesitation.

Besides, I knew she liked coffee shops and I knew she liked double shot espressos with caramel and almond milk. I’d already ordered her one and a vanilla mocha for myself. Her drink sat across the table and right in front of her chair in what I hoped would be an enticing sight, something like using a bone to call a dog. If nothing else I wanted to bring her mood to a level near mine, and for Caroline, coffee was always the answer.

The coffee shop was bustling at nine-thirty in the morning and I appreciated being able to sit and wait contentedly. It was the beginning of a warm day without any fog that sometimes accompanied California mornings.

Even the sun is in a good mood, I thought.

Caroline wore a tight