Page 36 of Forever To Me

But damn, Walker looks so good. Too good. Like he owns the damn morning. Not fair. I’m pretty sure he stayed longer at the bar than I did. Morning came fast today, and I’m still not fully awake.

“Morning,” I murmur to both of them. "Thanks, Walker. You don't have to do that."

“Morning,” Jack nods.

“Didn’t peg you for a caramel guy.” I arch a brow at Walker.

His lips curve slightly. “I’m not. Black.” He lifts the cup slightly as if to prove he’s too rugged for sugar and cream.

“Black is the only fuel I need,” he says to Cami. “I had to fuel up after taking Mack to school. Parenting a teenager isn’t for the weak.”

Cami snorts from behind the counter. “You’re just mad Mack called you old this morning.”

Walker shoots her a flat look. “She said I have ‘dad energy.’ That sounds worse than being called old.”

I laugh, watching Walker’s eyes soften when he talks about his daughter. Definitely a green flag.

It makes me so curious to meet Mack. I wonder if she has the same whiskey eyes as him? Or if she’s funny and playful like him?

I watch Walker and Cami banter effortlessly, and the tension he usually carries eases with each teasing remark. There’s something about how his shoulders loosen, the quiet pull of a smile at the corner of his mouth—it makes me realize just how rare it is to see him this unguarded. He carries the weight of so much, always steady, always in control. But right now? Right now, he’s just a man, laughing with a friend. And I love watching him like this.

“Black for me, too,” Jack adds, joining the conversation with a smirk, as is his way around Cami. Those two always seem to give each other hell every chance they get.

Cami snorts. “Yeah, well, maybe if you had a little sweetness in your life, you’d be more pleasant to be around, Jessop.”

Jack gives her a flat look. “You saying I’m unpleasant?”

She hands me my hot caramel latte with a smirk. “I’m saying you’re the human equivalent of black coffee. Strong. Bitter. A little too much for most people.”

I can’t stop laughing, and to my delight, Walker fights a smile, shaking his head as he takes a slow sip of his coffee.

This latte is heaven. There’s sorcery in these things. I swear it.

Warm, velvety, and just the right amount of sweet—the caramel melts into the rich espresso, smooth and golden, coating my tongue with buttery warmth. The first hit is bold, the coffee strong and a little bitter, but then the caramel kicks in, swirling with the creamy milk, softening every sharp edge until all that’s left is comfort.

“You’re lucky you make damn good coffee, Cami,” Jack mutters before turning to us. “I gotta run. Later.”

“Bye, Jack. Good to see you,” I call as he waves and heads toward his truck.

“You heading anywhere?” Walkers asks me.

I hesitate. “Nowhere important.”

“You need a refill?” Cami nods at Walker.

He shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good. Just keeping Red company.”

“Oh,Red,” Cami smirks, wiping her hands on a rag. “Don’t let me stop you two from flirting awkwardly in public.”

Walker exhales through his nose. “We are not?—”

“See you later, Cami,” I cut in, grabbing Walker’s sleeve before he can argue and make things even more weird between us.

And just like that, I find myself falling in step beside him, coffee in hand, wandering the streets of Bridger Falls.

Bridger Falls is waking up for the day. Storefronts glow with warm yellow lights, shopkeepers flip signs from CLOSED to OPEN, and a few locals sweep the sidewalks in front of their businesses and wave as we pass, giving us curious looks.

Walker and I walk side by side, unhurried, like we’ve done this a hundred times before. And that’s how it seems to be with Walker. He’s a mystery but feels familiar at the same time.

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