That panicked look came across her face again, and she snatched it from me. “Yes. Thank you.” She passed me to head back to the bedroom, so I followed.

“Did you call work?”

“Not yet.” She disappeared into a closet, a nice walk-in for such a small place.

I sat on the bed and shoved my legs into my boxers. I wondered if she’d keep the fast and furious pace until she took off, and we wouldn’t get to do any sort of wrap-up on the night and what would happen next.

She came out in a pair of jeans and a simple blue T-shirt that was already wet on the shoulders. “I’m sorry I have to rush.”

“I have to be at work too.”

“Are you late? I didn’t think to set an alarm.”

“We had other things on our minds.”

She blushed, shoving her feet into little pink tennis shoes. I finished dressing and searched around for my phone, which had slipped out of the shallow pocket when the shorts came off.

“Under the bed,” she said.

I knelt down and saw it near the baby’s box. I swallowed hard as I came back up. “Thanks. Can I call you?”

Corabelle pushed her hair out of her face. “I don’t know. I have to think.”

“Please don’t think.” I stepped toward her, but she moved away.

“It’ll be okay. I just have to get used to this idea.” She snatched a purse off the top of the crates. “I really have to go.”

I followed her to the living room and picked up my keys from the table. She looked at me a moment. “Let me loan you a shirt.”

I would have protested, but she ran down the hall, returning a minute later with a New Mexico State T-shirt that would have swallowed her now, but she’d gotten it back when she was pregnant with Finn.

My throat constricted as I took it from her. “I remember this.”

“Yeah, it’s a good one. Don’t ruin it.”

I pulled it over my head. “I guess this means I have to see you again to return it.”

“You’ll see me in class on Monday.”

We headed for the door. After she locked it, I pulled her into my arms and didn’t let her resist. She relaxed against me, her face against my chest.

“Corabelle, are we okay?”

She nodded.

I lifted her face. “Just one simple kiss?” I didn’t wait for an answer but leaned in, just grazing her lips.

Her hands gripped me, and when I pulled back, she stepped away. “See you soon, Gavin.”

She ran out to the parking lot and jumped into her car. I stood there, unmoving, as she backed out and drove away.

I turned back to her door. I hadn’t imagined just a week ago that I’d be at Corabelle’s home, and she would be back in my arms. I’d been given this amazing chance, and even if she seemed a little reluctant, I had hope that we could set everything right. 

Oh God oh God oh God. What had I done?

I pulled into an employee space a block away from Cool Beans, wondering if Gavin was still standing in front of my door. We could not do this. I could not tell him everything. Not now. It seemed like a way better idea to remember this one amazing night and just stop. No more.

I dashed down the sidewalk, worrying that Jason would be late as usual, but then remembered that Jenny was working that morning. She was pretty reliable.

The bells jingled as I ripped open the door. Jenny was waiting on an older couple getting plain coffee, judging by the mugs. I flashed her an apologetic look and raced behind the counter, stuffing my purse beneath the register and yanking out an apron.

Then I saw him.

Austin.

He pulled his headphones off and set them on the table, his usual one in the corner.

“He’s been here since we opened,” Jenny whispered. “Must have been some impression you made on him last night.” She elbowed me. “You’re one crazy chica.”

The couple walked away from the counter, and I could see Austin heading toward me. “I can’t talk to him!” I said, planning to scurry to the back.

Jenny grabbed my apron string. “Nuh-uh. He’s been waiting for hours.”

Austin leaned against the pastry case, a few feet away from Jenny. “Corabelle?” His eyes were full of misery.

God. What to say. I gave him a half-wave. “Hey.”

“Are you okay? I’ve been so worried.” His hands gripped the glass, the fingertips white from the pressure.

“I’m fine.” I opened the back of the case and pretended to rearrange the danishes. “I just — that just wasn’t my scene. I didn’t mean to be dramatic.”

Austin let go of the glass. “Okay. I didn’t have your number or anything. I sent you e-mails.”

I hadn’t looked at any of that since yesterday. “I have a dumb phone, not a smart one. I didn’t see them yet.”

“Were you okay last night?”

I flashed through the evening. Gavin on my sofa, leaning over the hula girl, pulling me close, his face hovering over my body. “Yes! Yes. I was fine.”

Austin stuck his hands in his pockets and looked away. “I guess this means you don’t want to see me again?”

Jenny glanced at us, then moved as far away as she could, next to the window and the rows of plastic water cups.

I knew I couldn’t see Austin anymore, even if I didn’t intend to stick with Gavin. I had already succumbed. Austin hadn’t kept me away, although I’m not sure anyone could have. I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

He looked so dejected, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to swallow.

“It’s not you,” I said hurriedly. “I just can’t be around — that.” I glanced at Jenny, who was certainly listening even though she was facing away. “That — that thing that was happening. It’s a thing from my past. A problem.”

Austin’s eyes grew large. “Are you in recovery?”

“No! No. I mean, yes. Yes. That’s it. I have to stay away. Even your stuff smells like it.” It wasn’t a total lie.

Austin backed away. “Okay, I get it. I can respect that. I wish it were different. I can’t move, though. And Ben, he’s a big-time toker. Not me, though.” He held up his hands. “I can’t afford it anyway.”

I focused on the pastries, arranging and rearranging the same three bear claws. This was for the best. “Seems like we’re stuck. I guess that’s the way it has to be.” Now, please, go, I thought.

Austin stepped forward again. “Wait, I think Steve is leaving. Maybe I could move to his room. His roommate’s a girl, though. Would that freak you out?”

Dang, he was persistent. “I — uh, Austin, let’s not push it. It’s still going to be around. I don’t want to — fall off the wagon.” I hated saying it. I hadn’t been hooked or anything, even back in the day. When it came time to quit, I quit. I was pretty sure weed wasn’t addictive, but I didn’t have a lot of contact with it, other than Katie.

He pressed his head against the curve of the glass case. “I guess this is it then.”

“Seems like it. It was a nice day. I had a good time.”

“Me too.” Austin stared into the shelves, then turned away.

I let out a long sigh.

Jenny grabbed my arm and dragged me inside the back door. “What is going on?”

“Date ended badly.”

“Did he put a move on you?”

“No, not at all. It just wasn’t my thing.”

Jenny pulled the door closed behind her. “Girl, you are going to talk.”

I would have to give her something. “They were all doing drugs. I’m not into that.”

“Oooooh.” Jenny tugged on one of her pink ponytails. “Well, that makes sense.” She opened the door a crack and peeked out. “Never would have figured such a goody-two-shoes-looking boy to be up in all that.”

“We should probably head back out.” I reached for the door.

“Not so fast.” Jenny blocked the handle. “Why were you so late today?”

“I overslept.”

“Not buying it. You never oversleep. Besides, you didn’t return a single text last night OR this morning.”

“I had my phone turned off.”

Jenny narrowed her eyes. “Not buying that either. It was Gavin, wasn’t it? You called him.”