44 Ordinary Day 2

Stellar bobbed her head and took hurried steps back to her office to grab her bag. Upon checking her phone, she saw Holden's message telling her to meet him at the coffee shop behind the mall where there was less traffic.

Sliding inside the car, Stellar's shoulders sagged in relief as she sat on the front row seat. As if an evil spirit was chasing her, she eyed the rearview mirror while buckling up in her seat.

The truth was, she just wanted to err on the side of caution that no one familiar had seen her careening and bumping into strangers in her haste.

"Take your time tomorrow. I'll always be waiting for you no matter how long it takes," Holden reassured her as he pulled away from the parking lot.

His right arm slung over the backrest of Stellar's seat, and he was looking over his shoulders as he drove the car in reverse.

Stellar pursed her lips, hyper-aware of their proximity, as if the citrus and woodsy balm of pine she sniffed from Holden wasn't enough to remind her.