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Theo had obviously not spotted Ashe’s bike three blocks down on our way to work that morning, and had also not noticed the hooded figure in the bright white sneakers that seemed to pace up and down the street across the road every now and again.

But I had.

“You’ll be okay for a while?” He asked with a concerned frown which was kind of cute.

“Yes,” I groaned. “I’m not gonna die anytime soon. Go.”

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t.

Instead, he nodded once more and quickly strode from the shop. I idly wondered what could’ve been so urgent that Toni was calling everyone in for a meeting, but I knew that no one would tell me even if I did ask. So instead, I let my mind get carried away with my own plans.

I continued tidying and organising the stock on display for a few moments longer, until Larissa was once again engrossed in her phone.

“God,” I sighed. “I’ve got the biggest craving for a steak or something, you know?”

Larissa chuckled, not looking up from her screen. “You must be getting your period.”

“Maybe,” I hummed to myself.

“There’s Rare BBQ just down the road, you know,” she gestured down the street with her head. “Go pick something up.”

“Ew,” I scrunched up my face. “Takeaway steak is never good and you know it. They mix it in with everything.”

Larissa looked up at me for the first time since our conversation began. Her face, as usual, was a blank slate of disinterest. I knew her well enough, though, to know that it meant that she was deep in thought.

As long as it was thoughts about herself, and not my mediocre set up for a chance to sneak out alone for the first time since Theo had dragged me out of the pub.

Eventually she dropped her attention back to her phone and I let the topic go, continuing to stay busy for a little longer before I headed to the back and grabbed my bag.

“Fuck it,” I sighed as I headed for the door. “I’m going for an early lunch. Want anything?”

Again, Larissa didn’t even lift her head as she shook her head no.

“Okie, I’ll be back soon.”

I headed out onto the street and fought to contain my smile. The weight that had been hanging around me ever since Theo arrived had lifted, and I felt some semblance of normality again.

Only a few weeks ago, I could stroll down the street at any time of day or night, not answer to anyone, and certainly not have a large, broody man invading my personal space all the time.

I headed towards the steakhouse that was only a block away, taking my time and enjoying my short-lived freedom. Also, I knew I had to keep it steady so that Ashe could catch up.

He had been around the corner smoking a cigarette on a bench when I left, so I knew that if I walked too quickly that he might not have noticed where I went.

I spoke to the server out the front and was quickly seated after requesting a table on the back terrace, where no passersby could see me through the window from the street.

It wasn’t quite lunchtime, so the restaurant wasn’t particularly busy yet. It only took a few minutes to and order my drinks and food. I continued to scan the menu while I waited, when I heard the chair beside me move with a scrape.

“I wasn’t quite sure how you like your steak, so I went for medium rare,” I said, not looking up from the drinks list.

Ashe plopped into the chair with a sigh, pulling his hoodie down and smirking at me with that heart-stopping grin.

“You knew I was coming?” he asked with a quirk of his brow.

“Like I’ve said previously, you’re a shitty stalker.”

“Mmm.”

The server returned with a hint of a confused look, placing my steak and salad in front of me, and the second serve in front of Ashe. I wasn’t actually hungry, but I made myself nibble at the meal since I was already here.