Page 18 of This Life of Mine

I glance at Val before she walks back out to the front when called.

When I unlock the back door to let in the morning breeze, the line has thinned, and sunlight spills across the floor in golden ribbons.

I rest my weight on the counter, watching flour dust float through the air like glitter, and smile to myself.

For once, I’m not rushing toward what’s next.

This is where I truly wish to be.

And that’s enough.

Chapter six

Lina

The lunch rush dies down. The shop is quiet enough to hear the hum of the refrigerator beneath the espresso machine.

I open it and frown. One oat milk. One coconut milk.

I gawk at the empty shelves. “We’re almost out of both coconut milk and oat milk,” I say to Val over my shoulder.

Val continues wiping down the counter. “Impossible,” she says.

“We have one carton left of each,” I say.

Her head snaps up. “No,” she says eyes wide.

“Yup,” I affirm, gesturing with my head.

She abandons the rag and marches over to inspect the empty shelves herself. The second she sees it, she gasps.

“Oh crap. The delivery won’t be here until tomorrow morning. This is an emergency,” Val says.

“We serve suburban moms and fantasy readers, of course it’s an emergency,” I laugh.

“We need milk before the evening rush,” I say, pointedly emphasizing the wordneed.

Val sighs. “I was having such a good day.”

“You can come with me,” I tell her, grabbing my keys.

Val perks up.

“Where are we going?” she asks.

“Sprouts. It’s ten minutes away,” I add.

Val grabs her purse. “Ooh yes please. I love that store.”

I grab a cart while Val scrolls through the grocery list on her phone, mumbling ingredients under her breath.

“Heavy cream...flour...butter...” She glances up. “And milk.”

The automatic doors slide open, releasing a blast of cold air and the familiar scent of fresh bread from the bakery. We barely make it ten feet inside before I notice the subtle shift in Val’s trajectory.

She’s no longer walking toward the dairy aisle. She’s drifting. Like a moth to a flame. Straight toward the prepared foods.

I sigh.