48. Lilah
LILAH
P erched on one of the stools near the front counter of Lakeshore Sweets, the scents of cinnamon, espresso, and vanilla fill the air as I cradle my mug between both hands.
Callie’s bakery is quiet now that the morning rush has come and gone. For the moment, there’s a lull. No customers, no deliveries, no distractions. Just the four of us girls, a tray of pastries, and enough gossip to fuel a reality TV series.
Rina moans around a bite of chocolate-filled croissant, dark eyelashes fluttering closed. “Oh my God, Callie. This is seriously indecent.”
Sloane snorts, kicking her feet up on the empty stool beside her. “You sound like you’re having sex.”
“Please.” Rina waves a hand, not even a little embarrassed by the pronouncement. “I’m much louder than that. Sometimes I like to throw in a little extra for dramatic effect. You know… for the plot.”
I sputter into my coffee, choking on a laugh. With a cough, I swipe a napkin across my mouth as Sloane pats me on the back .
“You okay over there?” she teases, amusement dancing in her green eyes.
“Fine,” I wheeze. “Just wasn’t expecting that level of honesty with my caffeine.”
Callie gives Rina a pointed look as her lips twitch. “Can’t say I remember what any of that sounds like.”
Rina lifts a brow. “What do you mean?”
Callie shrugs, suddenly interested in the swirl of her latte. “Let’s just say that it’s been a while.”
Rina’s eyes narrow. “Exactly how long are we talking about?”
There’s a beat of silence before Callie admits, “Since Nora.”
That was over two years ago. Judging by the way her voice quiets, she’s embarrassed by the confession.
“Ugh,” she mutters. “I hate talking about this.”
“Hey.” I nudge her gently with my elbow. “If you can’t talk about it with us, who can you talk to?”
“She’s right,” Sloane adds. “We’re your people. We’re not judging you. Unless you put raisins in cookies. Then I have a serious problem.”
Callie lets out a little laugh, but before she can respond, the bell above the front door chimes. All four of us turn toward the entrance, and my eyes widen as River Thompson walks in.
Rina’s brows shoot up. “Well, this is an unexpected surprise.”
He’s wearing jeans and a black Railers hoodie, his blond hair is still damp, as if he just got out of the shower. He nods politely in our direction. When his gaze lands on Callie, it fills with something raw and aching.
“Hey,” he says, softly. “I didn’t know you’d be working.”
Callie’s expression turns guarded. “I own the bakery, River. I pretty much live here.”
Ouch .
Sloane, sensing the tension, rises and grabs a cup. “Did you want your usual?”
Usual?
I glance at Rina with a raised brow, and she returns the look.
River’s attention remains on Callie before flicking to Sloane. He gives her a small polite smile. “Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.”
As Sloane gets his coffee and a bagel, River shifts, as if he’s trying to decide whether to say more.
“How’s Nora?” he finally asks.
Callie barely spares him a glance. “She’s good.”
He nods, accepting the limited info. “I’m glad.”
Even after Sloane hands over his bag and drink, River lingers a beat longer than necessary.
“Bye, Callie.” His voice is gentle. “I’ll see you around.”
There’s a beat of silence before she says, “Bye.”
He gives the rest of us a nod before reluctantly heading to the door.
Silence hangs for a full five seconds after it closes.
“I’m sorry, that man comes here often enough to have a regular order?” Rina hisses, spinning toward Callie. “Um, excuse me? Why didn’t we know about this?”
Callie sighs. “He likes the coffee. And, apparently, the bagels.”
Rina snorts. “Oh, honey. He likes something all right. Spoiler alert. It’s not the carbs.”
Callie gives her a look. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested.”
I tilt my head, not even trying to hide my curiosity. “Really? He’s such a sweetheart.”
Callie’s expression hardens. “Are you forgetting that he’s part of Zane’s inner circle?”
And there it is .
That bitter knot of history tied too tight to unravel.
“He’s not Zane,” I say gently.
Her gaze flicks to mine, pain tucked behind her eyes. “No. But he stood by him. Through everything. Even when Zane didn’t deserve it.”
I reach over and squeeze her hand, only wanting to offer comfort and support.
Rina frowns. “What if it’s not that simple? Sometimes people stand by the ones they love because they’re trying to hold on to the good they remember. It doesn’t mean they agree with all the choices being made.”
“I don’t know,” Callie whispers. “It’s hard not to see him as part of that world. The one that hurt me.”
Sloane nods. “That’s fair. But he looked at you like you were the only person in this room.”
Rina hums her agreement. “If I were you, I might give him my number just to make a point to Zane.”
Callie finally cracks a smile. “You’re ridiculous.”
“But we’re your kind of ridiculous,” I say. “That’s why we’re all such good friends.”
Rina steals another bite of her pastry before adding, “Seriously though, you have to realize that if the man is here often enough to have a usual, it has nothing to do with the coffee.”
Callie releases a heavy sigh as she glances toward the front of the bakery. “He’s just always been around. At first, I thought it was a coincidence since we’re so close to the arena. Although lately, I don’t know. Maybe it’s not. But come on, he’s Zane’s friend. They used to be partners in crime.”
Rina tilts her head, her gaze sharpening. “You don’t owe Zane a damn thing. And you have every right to protect your peace. But also? You deserve someone who looks at you like you’re their entire universe.”
Callie exhales, her voice barely above a whisper. “The last thing I want is more drama. Or to get pulled back into that spotlight. That world doesn’t feel like mine anymore.”
“ You’ve been through hell and back these last few years,” Sloane says, topping off her mug. “If River isn’t like Zane, maybe it’s okay to stop bracing for impact and just see what’s there.”
“I’m not saying fall into bed with him,” Rina adds. “But Sloane’s right. If he’s trying to prove he’s not like his teammate, maybe give him a little room to do it.”
Callie gives us all a long look, her gaze moving around the table. “You’re kind of ganging up on me right now.”
“You’re right, we are,” I admit, grinning. “But it’s only because we love you.”
“And we want more for you,” Sloane adds. “Someone who treats you like a queen.”
Rina leans back in her chair and swirls her coffee. “Also, someone who could maybe serve as a visual distraction when Zane and his twenty-one-year-old reality-starlet-of-the-week show up at the next Railers event.”
Callie rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Oh, I’m not above a little petty justice,” Rina says cheerfully. “Just imagine the look on Zane’s face if River walked in with you on his arm.”
“You’re terrible,” Callie says with a laugh.
Rina shrugs. “I’m just saying. Maybe he deserves to squirm a little.”
We all fall quiet for a beat, the scent of fresh coffee filling the space around us. Outside, golden leaves swirl in the crisp October breeze, dancing past the bakery window like confetti.
Callie lifts her cup with a sigh. “Okay, fine. If he comes back again… maybe I’ll say more than one word to him.”
Sloane claps her hands. “Progress!”
Rina beams. “That’s definitely a start.”
I sit back and watch my friends laugh, tease, and sip their coffee as the comforting hum of the bakery envelops us. Callie’s smiling now, and for the first time in a while, she looks a little lighter. She deserves someone who sees all of that. Her strength, her softness, and everything in between.
As I glance toward the door where River stood just moments ago, I can’t help but wonder if maybe someone already does.