Chapter Nineteen

Madeline’s POV

Espresso reaches my lungs and squeezes my heart with a familiar yet foreign tug. A rusty bell rings above our heads as Andrew holds the door open for me. College students slave away, typing on their computers furiously and sipping from steaming mugs. The working atmosphere sets my mind in a calm despite the bone-chilling weather outside.

We approach the counter, complete with mouth-watering and wallet-emptying pastries. I stare up at the menu, unfamiliar and intricate orders listed in bold. Each drink and dessert written in large, swirling fonts. The smell of sanitizer mingles with the bitter scent of coffee and overwhelmingly sweet whipped cream.

But it’s the bitterness that brings back a sense of longing.

“My cousin always loved the taste of coffee.”

Andrew freezes visibly, but before I can remark, the barista greets us. Her blonde highlights shift as she looks up to stretch a fake smile across her lips.