Page 28 of Follow Me Down

“I could eat.” I nod.

“Okay then. Claire’s it is.”

“Sounds good.” I settle back into the seat, closing my eyes as the warm air hits my face through the open window.

It feels amazing; the sun, the breeze, the freedom. I didn’t realize just how free I would feel. And it’s a feeling I never want to lose.

I may be scared about what the future holds, about how I’m going to live and what my next steps are going to be, but I’m also really, really excited. To branch out. To be my own person. To pave my own path.

“Fallon.”

I open my eyes, having not realized that we had stopped.

“We’re here already?” I ask, straightening in my seat.

“Yep.” Titus kills the engine and climbs out, waiting for me to join him at the front of the truck before leading us up to the small café. It kind of looks like a shotgun style house from the outside. A small wooden sign staked into the front lawn, readsClaire’s Café.

“After you.” Titus holds the door open, his hand falling to the small of my back as he ushers me inside. I flinch at the contact. Not because I don’t like it, but because I do. “This used to be a house,” he says, confirming my original thought as he leads me to the back counter where a younger brunette is helping an older couple in front of us. “Claire, the owner, converted it into a café a few years back.”

“She did a good job,” I remark, looking up at the menu that’s handwritten on a long, rectangular chalkboard mounted on the wall behind the counter. “What do you recommend?” I ask, glancing to where Titus is standing next to me.

“Depends on what you like. The turkey club is good. I usually get that or the Rueben. Though you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose.”

We step up to the register once the older couple is finished ordering.

I decide on the loaded grilled cheese with a cup of tomato soup. Titus orders the Rueben and chips. Even though I insist on paying for myself, Titus pays for us both. After getting our drinks from the self-serve fountain machine, we head to a small two-person table tucked in the corner by the front window. It gives us a perfect view of the street outside.

“This is so much different than Raleigh. I’ve heard about towns like this but I’ve never actually been to one.”

“It’s a different way of life, that’s for sure. Everything out here is slower, more relaxed.”

“I can see that.” I look up. When Titus’ gray eyes meet mine, my stomach dips.

“Have you lived in Raleigh your whole life?”

“Yep.” I pop my lips.

“Think you’ll end up going back?”

“Not if I can help it.” I blow out a slow breath. “Think you’ll ever go back to Atlanta?”

“That would be a hard no.” He chuckles. “I burned way too many bridges when I left.”

“But don’t you miss your family? Your friends?”

“Not really.” He shakes his head, a chunk of sandy blonde hair falling over one of his eyes.

“Really? There’s no one there that you miss?”

“Only my sister. But I see her here and there. I lost touch with most of my friends when I moved. It was easier for me to make a clean break and start over.”

“At least you have Link,” I offer, realizing that when I finally branch out on my own I won’t have a single person to fall back on.

“Sometimes I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.” He leans further back into his seat.

“You two are like an old married couple.” I smile, fidgeting with the straw wrapper in front of me.

“What about you? Surely you’ve got tons of friends and family back in Raleigh.”

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