Book 18: Comfortable

Skye

“You didn’t have to do this.” I cup my hands around the warm paper coffee cup and meet Alex’s eyes. “I can buy a coffee.”

“I invited you to my lab and wasn’t able to follow through.”

“We can reschedule. It’s not like you’re going to find the Goddess particle tomorrow and turn me obsolete.”

He frowns at me, taking my little jab at face value. He’s smart. I mean, of course he is. He’s a paleomicrobiologist, for Goddess’ sake. But he’s also sharp and cunning, able to read my often confusing facial expressions like an open book. “I don’t like going against my word.”

Random lines of chatter take up the space between us in the little open cafe near the library. “You had a perfectly acceptable reason.” I risk a small smile, which he inspects, but then his sharp expression falters, the