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Nix raises a hand in goodbye—and then lets his smile drop as the rush of mingled bakery scents makes his stomach roil.

Ugh. What he wouldn’t give for one of Rowan’s pocket-snacks right now. They were almost alwaysexactlywhat he was craving.

He spots Luca sitting near the window on his left, with Tsuki sitting like a proper lady on the chair, her leash on the table.

“Luca?” Nix laughs.

While he may think his dog sitting in a chair like a person is the cutest thing, the other patrons do not.

Not that he can see around her to the rest of the room from where he’s currently sitting. Come to think of it, they can’t see him either.

Still, though, she was drawing attention.

It’s enough that the café lets her come in as Luca’s service animal; they don’t need to cause any additional trouble.

“Down, girl.”

She remains where she is, and there’s a final stare-off which Nix wins, but only because of his small growl.

Once she slinks to the floor, she crawls under the table, bumping it hard enough that the tableware clanks and clatters.

“She won’t be able to do that much longer,” Luca whispers, just as their barista brings drinks and dessert.

“She insisted on the chair and then pretended like I wasn’t even here. Just sat there, staring straight ahead.”

“Maybe she’s looking at herself in the mirror? I mean, she’s never done that before,” Nix says, watching Luca fill his cheeks with chocolate cheesecake.

No, she hadn’t.

It’s unsettling enough that Nix takes a look around the café for the first time, trying to see what might have caught Tsuki’s eye in the mirror.

There are a few students on laptops near the back, taking advantage of the free coffee refills and Wi-Fi, and an older couple holding hands on a sofa on the far side of the room.

There are two single men as well.

The first is stocky, staring at his phone. He’s wearing a workman’s jacket and a black beanie, and he’s absentmindedly drinking from a to-go cup rather than one of the cafe’s eclectic mugs.

(Luca’s hot chocolate is in a white mug withI Wore My Sassy Pants Todayon one side.)

The other man is handsome, tall and lean, with dark hair and a warm smile. He catches Nix’s eye and nods before going back to his book on parenting.

Well, that’s a good sign, then.

Taking a bite of his chocolate brownie, he immediately pushes the plate away in favor of his water. But still, now that he’s tuning in to his intuition, he feels a bit off.

Maybe it’s the excess sugar.

There’s a spot of whipped cream on the corner of Luca’s mouth when he asks, “Are you okay? You look a bit green.”

Forcing a smile through his nausea, Nix jumps to his feet. “I’m going to the restroom, and then I’ll be back. Cold always makes me have to pee.”

He doesn’t give Luca enough time to go with him. Even Tsuki makes noise under the table like she’s planning to follow, but Nix just waves them off and heads to the back, moving past the kitchen and into the two-stall restroom as quickly as he can.

The room is quaint and clean, but Nix can’t stop to enjoy this week’s change in artwork like he usually would before slamming the cubicle door closed and throwing up his brownie, his breakfast, and even some of last night’s dinner.

Ugh.

He heaves a bit and crouches down to rest his butt on his heels. There are black spots in his vision and then…