Chapter 41: Grace

"Hey, thanks for meeting me," Chloe mutters.

I can tell something is wrong because Chloe is abnormally subdued. Hoping I'm just reading into things that aren't there, I smile. "Of course!" I set my purse down on the table. "I'm glad you could get away from work for a quick lunch."

She doesn't smile. "Me, too." In fact, she avoids eye contact.

We slide into opposite sides of the booth near a window that overlooks the busy street. Cars and people race past. A waitress stops by with a pitcher of water and takes our order. Feeling concerned, I watch as Chloe fidgets with her phone.

I haven't talked to Chloe in a few days. Since I didn't get a lot completed over the weekend, I've spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday submerged in my coursework while trying to keep up with my volunteer schedule. Matteo has been tied up with his restaurants.

Which is probably for the best.