Page 220 of A Taste of Vanilla

My chest pangs.

“He knew?”

“No. Not until later.”

“But he knew enough.”

“Oliver always knows enough.”

Halston folds the towel and places it on the counter. “I knowhe seems like he hates everyone. But he kept me standing when I didn’t know I was falling.”

The words sink deep.

“You don’t have to be scared of him.”

“I’m not,” I assure her. But it’s a lie.

“Yeah.”

“That’s fair. He is concerning.”

I almost smile, and her eyes warm. She touches my wrist.

“Thank you for listening to him.”

“I had little choice in the matter.”

“You always have a choice.”

I look at her. She says it quietly, but she means it. Because choice matters to her. “I know,” I say.

Halston turns. “I have to meet Marley. We’re picking up some supplies and she apparently has some opinions on ribbon now.”

I groan. “She’s always had opinions on ribbon.”

“You don’t know her ribbon politics.”

“I raised her.”

“True. You probably caused most of them.”

I smile and let her see it.

She grabs her bank bag, her keys, and a tote from the counter. At the back door, she pauses. “Oh, and Warren?”

“Yes?”

“I’m not a layover.”

“I know.”

Her eyes hold mine. “Good.”

She leaves through the back door, which shuts behind her.

I stand in the kitchen for a long moment, staring at the place where she stood.

Then I look at the prep list, the organized mugs, the repaired oven, and the front of house.