Ethan Brooks sat at a quiet corner table in the small café near the university campus, stirring his black coffee even though it didn’t need stirring. He’d been second-guessing this meeting for the last twenty minutes. Texting Noah had been impulsive—born from guilt and a strange sense of missing the one person in Chloe’s family who had always treated him like a human being instead of Chloe’s successful boyfriend.
Noah had always been kind. Quiet, yes. Shy. But there was a genuine warmth in the way he listened, the way he’d ask thoughtful questions about Ethan’s work or offer help with tech issues without expecting anything in return. In the chaos of his relationship with Chloe, Noah had been a calm constant.
Ethan glanced at his watch. 10:15. Noah was five minutes late. Maybe he’d change
