Chapter 9
Nine
Caroline
I went back to Massimo’s the next morning, just like I said I wouldn’t.
I told myself I needed the caffeine, that I needed the noise, that it was just a convenient spot to send resumes and avoid the silence of my own apartment. But the truth was, I wanted to see if the kindness from yesterday had been a fluke.
It wasn’t.
The place was even busier, but as soon as I walked in, Noah waved from behind the counter. “Hey, new girl! Vanilla latte, right?”
I flushed. “Yeah. That’s me.”
He made it himself, not delegating to the kid running the register. When he brought it over, he added a second scone to my plate.
“I shouldn’t—” I started.
He grinned. “It’s healthy. It’s got fruit in it.”
I laughed, and for a second, it almost sounded real.
I settled by the window, phone out, pretending to check emails while I watched the shop move.
He was everywhere at once: fixing the register, chatting with the chess guys, wiping up a spill, then sliding behind the bar to steam milk and explain the difference between two beans to a grad student who looked ready to fall apart.
Every time he passed, he’d catch my eye, just for a second. It didn’t feel flirty, just… gentle.
I started to relax. The more time I spent there, the less I thought about the disaster my life had become.
Around lunchtime, I realized I was late for a Zoom call and grabbed my bag in a rush. It wasn’t until I was half a block away that I noticed I’d left my scarf on the table.
I turned back, but he was already at the door, scarf in hand.
“Speedy,” I said, out of breath.
He shrugged, holding out the scarf. “My Nonna used to say you can tell a lot about a person by their scarf. Yours is soft. Reliable. A little frayed at the ends.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “What does that say about me?”
He cocked his head, like he was considering. “It says you’re human. That’s all anybody can ask.”
I wrapped the scarf around my neck, embarrassed by how good it felt. “Thank you.”
He nodded, looking at me a second longer than seemed normal. “Anytime. Seriously. You ever need anything—a refill, a place to sit, whatever—you come here.”
I nodded and left before I got awkward, scarf in place, latte warming my hands.
The wind was cold, but it didn’t bother me. I didn’t even notice it until I got home, dropped my bag, and realized I was smiling again.
I went to the window and stared out at the street. For the first time in months, I felt like maybe things could change.
Maybe not overnight. Maybe not even this year. But someday.
I made a mental note to look for jobs near Massimo’s.
And to stop pretending I didn’t care if I saw him again.