The evening rush had finally died down, leaving only a few lingering customers tapping away on laptops or chatting in low voices. The soft hum of the coffee machine and the occasional clink of cups filled the café, but the earlier chaos had settled into something calmer.
Jane stretched her arms behind her back, rolling out the tension from hours of standing.
"Alright, I'm heading out," Ben called from the back. "Lock up when you're done."
"Got it."
She glanced at the clock—9:45 PM. Just a little longer, and she could finally crash in her bed.
Moving through the quiet café, she wiped down tables, stacked chairs, and swept the floors with practiced efficiency. It wasn't glamorous, but it was hers. A job she could count on.
As she stood behind the counter, counting the register, her mind drifted for a moment—not to anything in particular, just the feeling of exhaustion settling in her bones.
Then a sharp knock on the glass door made her jump.
She turned, blinking.
A man stood outside, his hoodie pulled up, face obscured by the dim streetlights.
Jane hesitated. The café was closed. Most late-night stragglers would just see the sign and walk away, but he stayed, unmoving.
Something about it made her uneasy.
She swallowed, glancing toward the back, but Ben had already left.
Another knock. Harder this time.
Her pulse quickened.
She wasn't easily scared, but standing alone in an empty café with a stranger outside… something about it didn't sit right.
Should she ignore it? Tell him they were closed?
Her hand hovered over the café lights, debating whether to turn them off.
Then—
The man took a step back, his face momentarily catching the glow of a nearby streetlamp.
Recognition jolted through her.
Her breath hitched.
Jane hesitated, fingers tightening around the edge of the counter. The rational part of her screamed to ignore it, to pretend she hadn't seen him. But she had—and he had seen her too.
Taking a slow breath, she stepped forward and unlatched the door.
The man stepped in before she could second-guess herself, the faint scent of damp fabric trailing behind him. He pushed back his hood, revealing dark, disheveled hair and sharp eyes that flickered with something unreadable.
Jane's stomach twisted. It really was him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.
A slow smirk tugged at his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes. "That's how you greet me after all this time?"
Her fingers curled into fists. "We're closed."
He ignored the words, his gaze drifting over the café before settling back on her. "You've changed, Jane."
She stiffened. That voice. That look. A past she had buried clawed at the edges of her mind.
"Say whatever you came to say and leave," she said, keeping her tone even.
He stepped closer. Too close.
Jane forced herself to stand her ground, though her pulse hammered in her throat.
"You think you can just disappear and it won't matter?" he murmured. "That I wouldn't find you?"
A chill crept down her spine. What does he want?
Before she could speak, the café door rattled again.
Another knock.
Jane's breath caught as she turned.
Jane's heartbeat drummed in her ears, but she kept her expression blank. She knew this game—show weakness, and he'd take control.
The man's gaze didn't waver. "You haven't changed a bit," he murmured, as if testing her reaction.
Jane clenched her jaw. I have.
Before she could respond, the café door rattled again. This time, it was followed by a familiar voice.
"Jane? You in there?"
Mia.
Relief flooded through Jane's chest, though she masked it quickly. She glanced at the man in front of her. His smirk had vanished.
Good.
Without hesitation, she strode past him and unlocked the door. Mia stepped inside, her gaze instantly flicking between Jane and the man. Her brows furrowed. She didn't like what she saw.
"Who's this?" Mia asked, her voice casual—but there was an edge to it.
Jane ignored the question. "You're here early."
Mia crossed her arms. "Yeah, well, I didn't want you walking back alone. Not after last night."
She let the words hang in the air. A warning.
The man exhaled a quiet chuckle. "Looks like you've got someone watching your back now."
Jane met his gaze, unflinching. "And I don't need you here."
For a second, something dark flickered in his eyes. But then he stepped back, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll see you around, Jane."** Then, he turned and walked out, the bell above the door chiming softly in his wake.**
Jane barely let out the breath she'd been holding before Mia turned on her.
"Who the hell was that?" Mia demanded.
Jane shook her head, pulling off her apron. "No one important."
Mia didn't look convinced, but she didn't press. Instead, she grabbed Jane's bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's go."
Jane hesitated for a second, glancing back at the door. The streets outside looked normal, untouched by whatever just happened inside.
But she knew better.
Without another word, she followed Mia out.