Chapter 5
I returned home from the café to find a familiar silhouette leaning against my apartment door. Dane stood up as I approached, his designer coat wrinkled and his hair disheveled. The sight of him—so out of place against my weathered brick building—sent a jolt through my chest.
"I checked out of the hotel," he said, his voice carrying a hint of desperation. "It's ridiculous to keep spending money there when you have a perfectly good couch."
I stared at him, keys dangling from my fingers. "I never said you could stay here."
"You didn't say I couldn't." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Come on, Liliana. I flew across the country for you."
Something in his voice—a crack in the arrogance—made me hesitate. Not forgiveness, not even close. But perhaps... pity.
"The couch," I said finally, unlocking the door. "Nothing more."
He followed me inside, his expensive luggage looking absurdly out of place in my small living room. I pointed to the worn sofa that had come with the apartment.
"Those are the rules," I said firmly. "You don't touch my bed. You don't use my towels. You don't—"
"I get it," he interrupted, setting his suitcase down. "I'm not here to seduce you."
The word 'seduce' hung between us, loaded with memories neither of us wanted to acknowledge.
---
The next morning, I woke to the smell of coffee—bad coffee. I found Dane in my tiny kitchen, surrounded by chaos. Milk spilled across the counter, grounds scattered on the floor, and a burned pot sat in the sink.
"I thought I'd help," he said sheepishly, holding out a cup that looked more like sludge than coffee.
I took it reluctantly, taking a sip that made my face scrunch. "This is terrible."
"I know." He ran a hand through his hair. "I've never done this before."
The admission surprised me. In all our years together, I'd never seen Dane attempt anything domestic. He'd grown up with staff for everything.
"Here," I said, setting the cup down. "Watch."
I showed him how to properly measure beans, grind them, tamp the portafilter. His fingers were clumsy, too used to signing contracts and shaking hands to handle the delicate work of coffee making.
"You're doing it wrong," I said, adjusting his grip on the milk pitcher. Our hands touched briefly, and I pulled away.
"I know," he admitted again, a hint of frustration in his voice. "This is harder than it looks."
"Everything is," I replied, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
By midday, we'd ruined three shots of espresso and a pitcher of milk. But somehow, amid the disaster, something shifted. Dane laughed—actually laughed—when foam exploded across his shirt.
"I look like I've been in a food fight," he said, wiping his face.
Despite myself, I smiled. "You do."
For a moment, we weren't husband and wife, estranged and angry. We were just two people sharing a ridiculous moment.
---
Three days later, Seattle woke to two feet of snow—unusual even for February. I groaned as I looked out my window, knowing the café would be impossible to reach.
I was halfway through canceling the day's opening when my phone buzzed with a text from Sarah: "Your ex is outside your shop. Shoveling."
I threw on boots and a coat and hurried outside. Sure enough, Dane was there, attackingthe snow with grim determination. His designer coat was soaked through, his hands red and blistered from the cold.
"What are you doing?" I called out.
He turned, snow clinging to his eyelashes. "What does it look like?"
"You've never even seen this much snow before," I said, reaching for the shovel. "Let me—"
"I've got this." His voice was firm but not unkind. "You said you needed to open today."
Four hours later, he'd cleared not just the walkway but the entire sidewalk in front of the café. His hands were raw, blistered near where his cigarette burn scar lay hidden.
When he finally came inside, shaking with cold, I couldn't stop myself from taking his hands in mine.
"Let me see," I murmured, examining the damage.
"I'm fine," he insisted, though his teeth chattered.
"You're not," I said gently, running warm water over his fingers. "This needs treatment."
Something shifted in the air between us—something warm and dangerous. His eyes met mine, no longer cold but filled with something I hadn't seen in years.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For the hospital. For everything."
The words I'd needed to hear for so long hung between us. I swallowed hard, my heart racing.
"Liliana," he said softly, leaning closer. "I was a coward."
His breath was warm against my cheek as he moved closer. My brain screamed warnings, but my body leaned toward him, betrayed by memories of better times.
Just as our lips were about to touch, his phone rang—shattering the moment like glass.
Dane's eyes closed briefly in frustration before he pulled away, reaching for his pocket.
The call that would change everything was already connecting.
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