Eden"They sent an adjuster out last week, and he cut me a check today," I'm telling Kelsea as she and I eat lunch in The CafŽ. "Surprised the hell out of me. I figured it'd be a fight, but I should be back open tomorrow. We're only going to do to-go orders until I can get everything fixed, but at least we'll be bringing in income. Most of the damage was to the tables and dining area, not the equipment. I have workers coming in overnight the next few nights to fix everything. It's going to be a hectic few days, but at least I'll be back open, and that's what I wanted more than anything.""Oh, Eden, I'm so excited for you! See, things are looking up," she smirks, a sly smile lighting up her face. "So how are things going with Devante?"Even in Chicago I didn't have girlfriends, so the relationships I've managed to start here are still surprising. "They're good." I smile. "I've been staying with him more than I've been staying at my apartment. At first I wanted to give him his spac

Eden"What do you mean you were pulled over?" I question Devante the next day. We're sitting in the shop, sharing our coffee before opening. It's something we used to do all the time, but haven't much since the shop got broken into. Last night, they finished the last of the work on it, and now we can do this again. This is normally my favorite time to spend with him. But this morning? He's pissed, more pissed than I've ever seen him. "For what?""For driving while Black," he spits out, obviously still very upset about what happened."Who did it?" I hope it wasn't a Laurel Springs officer, I desperately don't want it to be one of the people we've come to know as our friends."Some Calvert City asshole. I didn't get his name because he didn't end up giving me a ticket. Ransom showed up and intervened.""I'm so sorry that happened to you." I get up, going over to where he sits, making room for myself in his lap."It's not okay, but I'm used to it. I guess I'd been lulled into

Devante"Do you know where Eden is?" Cutter asks as we drive around Laurel Springs. "Haven't talked to her, after poker night I was fuckin' wiped and so was she. She came to the apartment last night, but was gone before I woke up. I slept like the dead.""Ro said the shop isn't open."As much as I don't want to be worried, I am. No one knows as well as I do how much she needs the shop to succeed. That's the one thing that stands out about everything we've discussed. When we'd both come here and we were talking about life. She'd left everything to make a go of it. For her not to have opened, something must be wrong. "We need to head over there." I hit Cutter on the shoulder. "Something's wrong.""Are you sure? I thought you two were in some sort of epic fight. Maybe she needed to go somewhere to clear her head.""No." I shake my head. "We weren't in an epic fight. I stormed off. Even if she's upset with me leaving, she's going to need to eat. A Whole Latte Love is how she d

Eden"I promise," I tell Devante and Cutter. "I'm fine.""Let us take you to Laurel Springs Med to make sure of that," Cutter interrupts. "There could be injuries that you can't see."Devante refuses to make eye contact with me. I'm unsure of what's happening, but I have learned things about him. Like he doesn't want to ever appear vulnerable. I keep telling myself this is what's happening."You want me to drive?" Cutter whispers."No, I will," he answers back and I feel all the hope I had seep out of my bones. It's like whatever was holding me together is now making me fall apart. Cutter's mouth forms a tight line as he looks at his friend. "Are you sure?""I didn't stutter, did I?"Not wanting to see the two of them argue over me, I lift myself up into the back of the ambulance and try to keep the tears at bay. This has been one of the worst twelve hours of my life and all I wanna do is curl into myself and pretend like it never happened. Cutter joins me, offering

DevanteWe're in the shower, washing off this shit show of a day, when Devante turns to me, desire and love written so plainly across his face."I came here looking for a change, never knowing I would fall in love with you," I start, my voice breaking as I try to talk out my feelings. "From the first moment I saw you, when we flirted, I knew you were something special. I'm only sorry it took me so long to act on it."Her mouth screws up before tears pool in her eyes and start pouring down her face, although it's hard to tell which are tears and which is the water from the shower. I know she's overwhelmed from the shock of her kidnapping added to our fight, but I have to tell her what's in my heart. I don't want to waste any more time on miscommunication and unspoken words with the woman who holds my heart."I didn't want love, never wanted to get married. I thought sharing your life with someone was dumb, because my dad left at such a young age. I'm learning how stupid those th