Page 73 of Fault Line

On Monday morning,I make a plan to meet Elio for coffee before class. We haven’t seen each other nearly as often as we used to—to study, to hang out, to chat and spiral about all the nonsense going on in our lives.

And I still feel kind of shitty about our last real conversation. I accused him of slipping back into old habits, but the truth is he’s just exhausted from working his ass off. Plus, I also need to tell him about me and Holden ... before he works it out for himself.

I arrive at the coffee shop early, nerves bubbling in my stomach. As I approach, I notice that he’s brought Bentley along, and he’s found a spot for us all to sit outside in the warm morning breeze.

He greets me with a quick hello and then dips inside to order our coffees—two Americanos, black. I reach under the table to scratch Bentley’s ear, relishing in the feel of his soft fur beneath my fingertips. He looks up at me with his big, brown eyes, and it’s impossible not to smile.

He’s such a good dog, so full of boundless love and energy. I’m happy that El decided to give him a chance, and I’m hoping that it’ll be good for both of them.

As I wait for him to return, I take in my surroundings—the quaint, little blue door of the café and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air. One of my favorite smells. It’s the middle of fall now, and the air is crisp yet somehow gentle on my skin.

I close my eyes, focusing on the sun’s warm rays on my face, the cool air on my arms, and the sounds of seagulls in the distance. It’s a peaceful oasis in the midst of life’s chaos.

Finally, Elio emerges from inside, a steaming cup of coffee in each hand. As he sets them down on the table, Bentley tries to hop up onto his lap, tail wagging furiously.

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist bringing him.” He gives me a sheepish grin, ushering the dog back to the ground. “He loves car rides, and I didn’t want to leave him alone this morning. I’ll drop him back off before class.”

“No worries. I’m glad you did.” I square my shoulders, steeling myself for the ensuing conversation. “El, there’s actually something I need to talk to you about.”

He sets down his coffee, giving me his full attention. “Let me guess—you’re either screwing Becker on the regular now, or you decided to actually date the guy.”

“Wow.” I let out a derisive huff. “Subtlety is not your strong suit.”

“Kai.” He raises a brow, urging me to continue.

“Yeah, we’re dating.” I press my palms to my cheeks, attempting to hide the rising heat. “How’d you know?”

“I figured it would happen sooner or later.” He leisurely sips on his coffee, kicking his feet onto the extra seat beside me. “You guys have always had this weird tension, no matter how much you insisted that he’s a bag of dicks.”

“I mean, he’s still kind of a dick sometimes,” I admit, voice soaking in unexpected tenderness. “But I guess he’s my dick now.”

He groans, a hand on his face. “Oh, please spare me the details.”

“He’s a good guy, E. I think I may have misjudged him a little bit, and he’s been there for me lately.”

“As long as you’re happy.”

“Also ... I confessed that you sicced Harper on him. And he’s not too happy about it.”

“Shit, Kaia.” He sits up straighter in his seat, worry lines etched into his forehead. “Is he gonna try and get her in trouble with the team?”

“No, I told him it was all our fault. Well, actually, I tried to place most of the blame on you.”

He rolls his eyes. “Nice.”

“It wasyouridea. Andyourfamily member.”

“I was acting mostly on your behalf.”

A chuckle escapes me at the irony. “That’s what Beck said.”

“I guess we do have something in common, then.”

I give him a sharp look, suppressing a grin. “You guys better not try and gang up on me now.”

“Please, I don’t see the two of us splitting an ice cream cone anytime soon.”

“You never know,” I say, shooting him a sly glance. “I could find out his favorite flavor for you.”

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