Page 48 of The World She Never Knew Existed

Clara noticed that Zeke wasn’t his usual talkative self with Alexis. She wondered if he felt that something was off about the woman. Kids usually had an instinct about someone. Alexis patted Zeke on the head and walked back to the counter.

Xavier leaned across the counter toward Jamie.

“How are you doing, Jamie?” he asked.

“Fine. What can I get for you?” she asked.

“I would like a coffee black and your phone number,” Xavier said.

“One black coffee coming up,” Jamie said.

“I think that we need to go out and grab some dinner,” Xavier said.

“I’m busy that day,” Jamie said.

“I haven’t told you what day,” Xavier said.

“I’m busy every day,” Jamie said.

“You know who I am. Other women would be jumping at the chance to go out with me.”

“Good. You should go ask one of them,” Jamie said, setting his cup of coffee on the counter.

Clara made Alexis’ cappuccino for her and set it on the counter for her.

Alexis pulled out a fifty and handed it to Clara.

“Keep the change,” she said. “Add it to your tip jar.”

Then, as though she was a regal queen, she swept out of the café with her brother on her trail.

Charlie made sure that they were gone and then said, “I don’t know what it was about those two, but they made my skin crawl.”

“Remember that story I told you about Ivy Springs?” Clara said. “Alexis and Xavier are the descendants of the billionaire of the story. The rumor is that they still hate all shifters, and their goal is to kill all the shifters in the area.”

“That explains a lot,” Charlie said, rubbing her arm.

“Where is Clara?” an obnoxious voice asked.

“What are you doing here?” Charlie asked. “You don’t belong here.”

Charlie and John had been enemies for a long time. Charlie had seen how John treated Clara and had no problems calling him out on it. On top of that, no matter how hard John tried, he couldn’t destroy the friendship between Charlie and Clara.

“I came to see my wife,” John said.

“She is no longer your wife,” Charlie said. “You need to leave.”

“I’m not leaving until I talk to Clara,” John insisted.

Clara walked up to Charlie and put her hand on Charlie’s arm.

“It’s okay,” she said to Charlie. “What do you want?” she asked John.

“I want you to come home,” John said.

“This is my home now and I’m staying right here,” Clara said.

“Look, I’m sorry for the way that I treated you. I never realized how much I love you and how much you mean to me until recently. I’ll do anything to make it up to you,” John said.

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