Page 78 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

Blythe did a visual sweep of the store and settled her gaze back on Elliott. “Now, please.”

Her enthusiasm bolstered Elliott’s excitement to show her, and she handed them over. Blythe squealed loud enough that the older couple near the counter twisted around to look at them.

Elliott winced. “Sorry. Excuse us.”

“These are so freaking perfect,” Blythe gushed, holding the bright-pink menus in front of her face. “You’re a genius, Elliott. Seriously.”

“They turned out really great. I know the custom lettering took longer, but it was totally worth it.”

“You were so right. Ilovethem.” Blythe put the menus down and hugged her. “I’m telling everyone I know about you. You’ll be able to quit working at Starbucks in no time.”

Elliott laughed. She probably could right now, truth be told, but she didn’t mind her shifts at the coffee shop, and even as a part-time employee, she was eligible for health insurance. Unless she started turning away design jobs, she didn’t see herself leaving anytime soon.

“How about coffee after I close up?” Blythe asked.

“Sure, thanks.”

Elliott made herself useful and boxed up the remaining pastries. She stuck them in the double-door fridge in the back while Blythe walked out the final customers and locked the door behind her, flipping off theOpensign. Elliott returned to the counter and rested her elbows across the top as Blythe poured her a cup and slid it across.

Elliott took a deep breath, savoring the aroma. “Mmm. Thanks.”

“So,” Blythe said, clearing her throat. “How are you?”

Something felt strange in Blythe’s tone, though Elliott couldn’t put her finger on why. “Fine?”

“Yeah?”

She nodded and took a small sip of the hot beverage. “Yes. Why do you ask?”

“No reason.”

Elliott narrowed her eyes. She didn’t know Blythe all that well, but they’d spent a decent amount of time together. “I ... don’t believe you?”

Blythe sawed her teeth across her bottom lip and shifted on her feet. “You shouldn’t. But I promised Jamie I wouldn’t get involved.”

“Wouldn’t get involved in what?” Elliott cocked a brow when Blythe didn’t immediately respond. “We’ve established something’s up, so there’s no point in hiding it now. That’s not cool.”

She sighed audibly. “Fine. Just ... I only want what’s best for him, okay?”

“Sure.”So do I, I think.

“I promised I wouldn’t say anything, but ... whatever.” She scratched at the side of her nose and looked at the ceiling for a moment. “I know who you are, okay? I know about the night you and Jamie met and went to that baking class.”

Elliott blinked. “You do?”

Blythe nodded, looking a little guilty.

“For how long? Did you know it was me from the beginning?”

“No. It wasn’t until that day we looked at the website mock-ups. You said you didn’t like chocolate, and it jogged my memory. Jamie’d told me about you back then, and after the shock of seeing my brother so animated over a woman, I couldn’t get past the fact he said he’d met someone who didn’t like chocolate. I’d never heard of such a thing, and I didn’t connect the two until later that night, but ... I finally did.”

“Oh.” Elliott wasn’t really sure where to go from here. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention it. It was such a brief meeting I didn’t expect you to know who I was, and—”

“I don’t care about that at all. I wouldn’t expect you to tell me anything about it—you didn’t know me.”

“Oh,” Elliott said again. “Okay.”

“Jamie and I are close, okay? I know what he’s been dealing with these last few months since you’ve been back. It hasn’t been easy for him, so I was just thinking maybe it hasn’t been easy for you, either. So ... are you okay?”

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