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People begin standing as the worship team walks back onto the stage.

I stay seated.

Harper doesn’t say anything.

She doesn’t nudge me, doesn’t ask if I’m okay.

She simply waits.

I appreciate that more than she’ll ever know.

Maybe it’s time I give this whole church thing a real chance again.

Six months.

I can do six months.

I stand.

The restaurant is loud enough that nobody notices Harper talking at a volume meant for the outdoors.

Probably because everyone else is too.

A waitress sets three mugs of coffee on the table before anyone has to ask.

I pick up the menu and begin scanning my options.

“I’ve already decided what I want.” Harper leans back in her chair.

“You haven’t even opened the menu,” I say.

“I don’t need to. I already know they have the best French toast.”

Micah looks over the top of his menu. “That’s all she ever gets at brunch.”

Harper kicks him gently beneath the table.

The waitress comes back a minute later to take our order, then Harper wraps both hands around her coffee mug while looking directly at me.

I already know that look.

“Soooo...”

I sigh. “No.”

“Come on, Liv, I haven’t said anything.”

“You’ve stretched the word ‘so’ into two syllables.”

“I was building suspense.”

“You were about to ask about Paul again.”

“I absolutely was.” She smiles. “So...”

I roll my eyes. “No.”

“No what?”