Three Days in Town, and the Barista Already Knew My Order novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: The Ex

On Saturday at nine the Stovepipe held fourteen people, and every one of them knew who I was.

That was new.

For three days the town had been coming in to look at me.

The library women had sent over a plate of scones with no note.

The selectman who had watched me sign for the dental supplies shook my hand at the post office.

"Good for you," he said, and did not say what for.

Etienne had a cup waiting on the counter, as always.

The note on the sleeve said: Eight o'clock is a long way off.

I was reading it with my elbow on the counter and a stupid grin on my face.

Then the bell rang and the cold came in.

I knew the step before I turned around.

I had listened to it come down a hallway for three years.

"Col," said Kevin.

He stood just inside the door in a Patriots jacket, with his keys in his hand and snow on his boots.

He was six foot one and heavy through the shoulders, a contractor's body going soft.

His sandy hair was cut short, and his neck was sunburned in November.

He looked the same.

That was the shock of it.

He looked exactly the same, and I felt nothing at all except tired.

"You drove up," I said.

"Three hours and ten minutes. I told you I was coming Saturday."

"You told me. You didn't ask."

"Same thing." He came toward me, and the room made way for him, because he is a man the room makes way for. "Jesus, Col. Look at you. Look at this place."

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