Page 73 of Moonlight Hearts

“Fine.Just give me a moment, okay?”

“Likes and reposts wait for no man, but fine.”

I rolled my eyes, then made my way to table three.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“Ah, would that it were so, but I’m afraid I’ll have to brave this snowstorm out there once more.”He got his wallet from his inside pocket and dropped three tens on the table.“Keep the change.And thank you for the hospitality.”

“Sure, anytime.”

I watched as he pulled on his gloves, then his coat, and let him stand before going for the plates.

“Au revoir, Amory,” he said, then headed for the exit.

A gust of icy air blew in as he left, making me blink.As soon as the door fell shut, I could barely see him anymore.The snow took care of that.

Kasey had hidden his snakes under his scarf and joined us about an hour ago.The Post-it stuck to his forehead readMarilyn Monroe.We’d all gathered at the corner of the counter Ben usually claimed, and we were enjoying Kasey’s quick version of an apple cider.Each of our cups was decorated with a cinnamon stick, and Kasey had added star anise and an apple slice as well.

“Am I dead?”I asked the group.

Rae nodded.“So dead.”According to their Post-it, they were Neil Armstrong.

“Am I fictional?”

Rae and Kasey exchanged a look.

“Nope,” Kasey said.

“Although, sort of,” Ben said.He was Santa.

I nodded.“I’m famous enough to have been made into a fictional character.Got it.”

Rae straightened.“My turn.Am I Madonna?”

“No,” Kasey and I said together.Ben just huffed at them.

The bells above the door twinkled, and all of us turned.

There, his black coat sprinkled with white, stood Soyer.

“What in the name of fuck is going on here?”

I pointed at the Post-it stuck to my forehead.“I’m winning.”

Ben tsked.“Says who?That was last round.This round has barely started.”

“Let me get this straight,” Soyer said, taking the seat next to me.“You decided to play party games, given that there are no customers, likely due to what I can only call inclement weather?”

“To be fair, Rae, Ben, and Kasey did PR before we had to resort to this.Would you like your cherry pie?”

“Yes.”He stole my cup from me, smelled it, then took a sip.

“We were menu-testing the cider.We were totally working, technically.”I rounded the counter and went over to the case to get his pie and coffee.I then paused, shrugged, and plated the remaining cherry for the rest of us.

“Uh-huh.”He gestured at the others.“Don’t let me interrupt.Try keeping my lover from winning.”

I chuckled.“Soyer, don’t sound so mean saying that.You can join for the next round.”