Chapter 23. Pancakes, Trouble and Demons

Lila’s POV

Sleeping in donning fuzzy socks and avoiding social engagement were the norm on Saturday mornings.

But now? It also includes getting dragged out of bed by a cocky text from Ryder Black, that annoying human who believed that breakfast meetups and waking me up suddenly were part of fake dating.

Ryder: Be there

at nine. Arrow and Butter cafe. Put on something adorable. I’ll just leave you for my muffins if you come in a bonnet.

Me: I will literally arrive in a garbage bag

Ryder: Hot. Looking forward to it.

Thus I arrived wearing a big pink hoodie with a white bunny on the front and my hair in a bun that looked as if I had lost a battle with my pillow.

As I entered, the warm aroma of espresso and cinnamon embraced me like a comforting blanket and the bell above the café door jingled.

Ryder was sitting at the back in all black and the only thing that looked off was the expensive watch on his wrist because it was silv