Page 81 of Safe With You

“Thanks for the coffee.”

Luna walked with me toward the front, stopping when a customer asked where she could find contemporary romance.

“Second aisle on the left,” Luna said. “Past the display table. If you tell me what kind you’re looking for, I can help you in a minute.”

“I’m just browsing.”

“Take your time.”

The woman headed toward the shelves.

I glanced at Luna.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because you keep asking.”

She narrowed her eyes, but the smile pulling at her mouth ruined whatever effect she was going for.

At the door, I shifted my bag higher on my shoulder.

There was a beat where neither of us moved.

Not awkward.

Just longer than it needed to be.

Then Luna reached for the door.

“Thanks for this morning.”

“You already thanked me.”

“For the pictures.”

“Oh.”

She looked back toward the table we’d taken over for most of the morning. Her notebook was still there, open beside the empty bakery box.

“I’ve had some of those ideas sitting in my head for a while. It’s different saying them out loud.”

“Different good or different bad?”

“Good.” She smiled a little. “Less overwhelming, I guess.”

I understood that.

Ideas had a way of getting bigger when you carried them alone.

“You already had all of it figured out.”

“Not all of it.”

“Most of it.”