It’s a message from Adam.
I know things have been complicated, but I’d really like to see you, Carlie. Are you free for coffee later?
I feel a flutter in my stomach. “Um, Grandma, Adam just texted. He wants to meet for coffee.”
Her eyes light up. “Well, there you have it. Destiny has stepped in, girly. You should definitely go. And who knows, maybe you’ll come back with more than just coffee.”
“Grandma—” I exclaim, half-scandalized and half-amused.
She laughs heartily. “I’m just teasing you, dear. But seriously, go. Have fun. Life is too short to hesitate. Trust me on that.”
I smile, feeling a sense of lightness for the first time since I found out about the Instagram fiasco. “Okay. I’ll go.”
She nods approvingly. “Good girl. Now, off you go. And remember, don’t take life too seriously. No one gets out alive anyway.
I roll my eyes at the serious level of corniness.
Coffee with Adam.
Maybe this is exactly what I need.
As I slowly make my way back upstairs, I can’t help but feel hopeful. That maybe something good can come out of all of this.
This coffee with him isn’t just a casual meet-up—instead, it feels like acrossroads.
Or a chance to confront the what-ifs that have been haunting me.
Reaching my apartment, I sink back into my chair, the aches in my body a stark contrast to the flurry of butterflies in my stomach. I stare at the message on my phone—Adam’s words causing a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.
My fingers hover over the keypad, the usual witty retort replaced by a flutter of something deeper—more earnest.
I type out a reply, my fingers hesitating over each letter.
Confirming our coffee date feels like stepping into uncharted territory, filled with possibilities and risks. My heart races as I hit send.
The moment lingers, suspended in time.
Maybe this is the beginning of a new chapter, one where I’m not just a character in someone else’s story, but the author of my own.
As I sit there, lost in my thoughts, my phone buzzes again.
It’s Adam, confirming the time and place and I’m thrilled to see his suggestion happens to be my favorite coffee shop.
A small smile forms on my lips. This coffee date, this simple act of meeting up, suddenly feels like a pivotal moment in my life.
With a deep breath, I stand up, a sense of determination washing over me despite the shooting agony in my muscles.
Maybe, just maybe, this is where my story really begins.
CHAPTER15
Adam
Ican feel myself bouncing in my seat.
Even though the air inBean There, Done Thatis infused with the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee, all I can smell is my own anxiety. I’m sitting across from Dylan, trying to steady my jittery hands by wrapping them around a steaming cup of black coffee.
I don’t think the caffeine is helping one bit.