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Vanessa’s hands flew to her face. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry! Was it a family member?”

“No, no,” Megan said with assurance. “No, thank God. It’s the mother of my ex. But I felt very close to her also. I may hate Cindy and wish the hounds of hell would come up and devour her bit by bit, but I do want to pay my respects to Carole.”

“That’s sweet,” Vanessa said. “Well, except for the hounds of hell part. Maybe leave that out if you’re asked to say a few words.”

Vanessa then leaned forward until her face was only an inch from Megan’s. Megan licked her lips and then gasped when she felt Vanessa’s hand on her thigh under the table.

“So,” Vanessa murmured, “since we have a couple of days off from each other this week, I expect we’ll be together tonight?”

As if believing Megan needed convincing, Megan felt Vanessa’s fingers graze the zipper of her jeans. Megan couldn’t help the little moan which escaped her lips as she felt her panties, already damp from their quick make-out session earlier, get even wetter.

“Yes, please,” Megan breathed, but that was all Vanessa allowed her to say before her lips found Megan’s for a passionate kiss that might have lasted five minutes or might have lasted ten, Megan didn’t know. All the while, Vanessa continued stroking the crotch of Megan’s jeans.

When they parted, Megan felt supremely satisfied with the desire evident in Vanessa’s eyes.

“I’ll text you when I’m on my way,” Vanessa said. “I should be there by—Oh my God!”

Vanessa bolted up to stand as if her chair had suddenly caught fire. With her hands over her mouth, she was staring at something over Megan’s shoulder. Megan turned.

The little old lady from yesterday was standing there again, this time in tiny tan slacks and a floral blouse, her purse still clutched primly in front of her, her eyes like saucers behind those incredibly strong glasses.

“Jesus, are you a ninja?” Megan exclaimed, getting up and standing by Vanessa, her right hand over her heart, which was thudding.

The old lady smiled.

“I enjoyed yesterday’s iced coffee so much, I thought I’d have another,” she said. She then looked from Megan to Vanessa. “I see your third date is going well!”

Chapter 17

The next night, at seven, Vanessa made sure the front doors of La Vida Mocha were locked and the neon Open sign in the window switched off. In the back room, she gathered up her purse as well as a small bag containing two cranberry-nut muffins that she hadn’t sold today, figuring William’s parents would like them. After setting the alarm, she left the coffeeshop out the back door which opened onto the parking lot where her Jeep was waiting.

It had been a busy day in La Vida Mocha. News of the pending reopening of places like coffeeshops had spread. Some of the customers today were familiar faces Vanessa hadn’t seen in a while who had come in just to ask her if it was true that they’d be able to once again order coffee and stay. It was so gratifying that Vanessa had spent the day feeling a happy buzz.

Before she got in her Jeep, Vanessa took her phone out of her purse. It occurred to her that Megan would have liked today’s outfit: a boho casual short-sleeved dress with a brown tie-dye pattern that she had combined with a pair of brown suede ankle boots. Standing in front of the closed back door of La Vida Mocha, Vanessa posed and snapped a selfie which she then fired off in a text to Megan.

Almost as soon as Vanessa started her Jeep and began pulling out of her parking spot, her phone rang, the display on her dashboard telling her it was Chloë.

“Hey!” Vanessa greeted.

&n

bsp; “Hey!! So, seriously, I can come back?” Chloë asked.

Earlier, Vanessa had sent a text to her young friend with a link to the online article about the loosening of restrictions and asking if Chloë would be willing to return to La Vida Mocha on Saturday.

“Yeah, of course! I fucking need you!” Vanessa told her. “But, listen…I don’t know how long this is gonna last. Hopefully indefinitely but I don’t know if you should quit Amazon just yet. I mean, right now that’s steady work and I know you got bills to pay.”

“Whatever,” Chloë said. “If they can’t be flexible on my schedule there are other jobs.”

Ah, to be young and carefree again!

Vanessa decided not to press it. Chloë was a grown woman who already had two parents; she didn’t need a third. Instead, she decided to ask about something else.

“Listen, are we good?” she asked, turning onto Carlsbad Boulevard. “It’s just that the other day, you seemed upset. Like, upset with me. Am I wrong?”

Chloë sighed.

“No…I mean…no…”