Chapter 15 - Nora Takes Back Her Life
Six months later, Wildflower Bakery opened its third location.
Nora cut the ribbon herself.
No fake boyfriend.
No criminal conspiracy.
No explosive warehouse.
Just customers.
Family.
Employees.
And a cake Eleanor insisted was too small.
“It feeds eighty.”
“We invited ninety-four.”
“Half won't eat cake.”
Eleanor looked offended.
“Those aren't people I want at my party.”
Nora laughed.
Life had settled.
Not perfectly.
But genuinely.
Evan had stayed away.
Not completely.
He sent no flowers.
No dramatic apologies.
No expensive gifts.
That surprised her.
Instead, Nora occasionally heard about him through other people.
Cole Security had withdrawn from several questionable contracts.
His freight companies adopted independent compliance oversight.
He sold two businesses connected to men from his past.
He donated one hotel building to a housing nonprofit.
None of the announcements mentioned Nora.
That mattered.
He was doing it because he chose to.
Caleb occasionally visited the bakery.
Always paid.
Always bought too much.
“Chocolate croissants?”
“Six.”
“You live alone.”
“I have coworkers.”
“You don't share.”
“That's defamatory.”
Nora smiled.
“How is he?”
Caleb knew immediately.
“Annoying.”
“Normal then.”
“More annoying.”
“Why?”
“He started therapy.”
Nora nearly dropped the pastry tray.
“Evan?”
“Yes.”
“Voluntarily?”
“Debatable.”
“How?”
“Lily told him if he didn't go, she'd attend every business meeting and announce his childhood issues.”
Nora laughed for a full minute.
Lily had become family quickly.
Evan gave her space.
A job if she wanted one.
College tuition if she wanted that instead.
She chose architecture school.
Nora liked her.
“Is he okay?” Nora asked.
Caleb's expression softened.
“Better.”
“Does he ask about me?”
“Every day.”
Her heart tightened.
“Then why hasn't he called?”
Caleb smiled.
“Because you didn't ask him to.”
Nora stared.
That evening she sat alone after closing.
Her phone lay on the counter.
Evan's number still existed.
She could call.
She wanted to.
Yet something held her back.
Not fear.
Timing.
She needed to know whether they could build something without crisis holding them together.
Then the bell above the door rang.
Miles entered.
“Nora.”
She smiled.
“Boston got tired of you?”
“Frequently.”
He looked healthier.
More relaxed.
He had started dating someone.
A pediatrician named Grace.
Nora had teased him mercilessly.
“Why are you here?”
“Thomas's trial.”
Her smile faded.
“Right.”
It began tomorrow.
Samuel Bennett's murder case had become national news.
Nora was scheduled to testify.
Miles too.
“You nervous?”
“Yes.”
“Same.”
He sat.
“You hear anything about Adrian?”
“No.”
“Neither do the feds.”
That worried them both.
Thomas had offered no information.
According to prosecutors, he was more afraid of Adrian than prison.
Miles looked toward the kitchen.
“Do you have coffee?”
“We're closed.”
“Friend privilege?”
“You're pushing it.”
She poured two cups anyway.
Miles studied her.
“You and Evan still separated?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Nora raised an eyebrow.
“You're suddenly a relationship expert?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Good.”
“But I'm improving.”
She smiled.
Miles continued.
“I spent years believing people proved love by staying regardless of what I did.”
“My condolences to Grace.”
“She has boundaries.”
“I like her already.”
“So do I.”
Miles sipped coffee.
“Maybe loving someone isn't about accepting everything.”
Nora looked at him.
“Sometimes it's giving them space to become someone you can safely return to.”
She stared.
“That was suspiciously wise.”
“Therapy.”
“You too?”
“Apparently everyone in Charleston is going.”
They laughed.
The next morning court began.
Thomas Harper entered in chains.
He looked older.
Smaller.
Nora almost didn't recognize him.
When her turn came, she testified about her childhood memory.
The silver ring.
The warehouse.
Her grandfather falling.
Thomas watched without expression.
Then prosecutors played Samuel's tape.
Eleanor cried.
Diane held her hand.
Miles testified next.
He described his father's financing arrangement.
Kidnapping.
The Pier Nine confession.
Thomas finally looked at his son.
Not angry.
Disappointed.
Miles no longer cared.
During recess, Nora walked into the corridor.
Evan stood at the far end.
Her heart stopped.
Black suit.
No tie.
Same man.
Different eyes.
He hadn't seen her yet.
Lily stood beside him.
She noticed Nora first.
Then elbowed him.
Evan looked up.
For several seconds neither moved.
Then Nora walked toward him.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Excellent.
Six months apart and they had become teenagers.
“You look good,” he said.
“So do you.”
“I own mirrors.”
She laughed.
God, she missed him.
Evan looked toward courtroom doors.
“You were brave.”
“I was terrified.”
“Same thing sometimes.”
Her grandmother's words.
Nora smiled.
“How have you been?”
“Busy.”
“I heard.”
“Caleb talks too much.”
“True.”
Silence.
Then Evan said, “I owe you an apology.”
“You gave me one.”
“Not enough.”
Nora waited.
“I believed loving someone meant eliminating every threat around them.”
She didn't interrupt.
“I still want to protect you.”
“I know.”
“But you were right.”
His voice lowered.
“I used protection as an excuse to stay the man I knew how to be.”
Nora felt tears threaten.
“I hurt people because violence was efficient.”
He looked at her.
“I'm learning efficiency isn't the same as right.”
“How?”
“Badly.”
She smiled.
“Good.”
He smiled too.
“I miss you.”
There it was.
No manipulation.
No grand speech.
“I miss you too.”
Evan's eyes changed.
“But,” Nora added.
He sighed.
“There it is.”
“Dinner.”
“What?”
“One dinner.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
His face transformed.
Nora laughed.
“You look surprised.”
“I expected another six months.”
“You're terrible at predicting me.”
“You paid me one hundred dollars to ruin lunch.”
“I offered a thousand.”
“Technicality.”
That evening they returned to the café where they met.
Same window.
Same table.
Nora placed ten hundred-dollar bills beside his coffee.
Evan stared.
“No.”
She smiled.
“I'll give you a thousand dollars if you pretend to be my boyfriend until tonight.”
He leaned back.
“Kidney situation?”
“Still intact.”
“Do I get to kiss my girlfriend?”
Nora smiled.
“Only if she says yes.”
He waited.
This time seriously.
Nora leaned across the table.
“Yes.”
Their kiss drew applause from a nearby elderly couple.
Nora laughed against his mouth.
For one night, things were simple.
Then at 10:13 p.m., every phone in the café received an emergency alert.
An explosion had occurred at the Charleston County detention facility.
Thomas Harper's transport vehicle had been attacked.
Three guards were injured.
Thomas was missing.
Security footage showed the man responsible.
Adrian Hale.
Nora stared at Evan.
Evan looked at her.
The past had returned.
But this time they weren't the same people who had faced it before.
May you like
And Adrian was about to discover the difference.
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