Chapter 153

Olivia

A comfortable silence settled between us as James sipped his coffee. The café had begun to empty a bit, the after-work crowd thinning as evening deepened.

"You know," he said suddenly, "you didn't even acknowledge me at the Children's Hospital gala."

I blinked, caught off guard by the change in topic. "I'm sorry?"

"At the gala," he repeated, his tone light but his eyes curious. "You looked right through me like we'd never met. And we've met twice before that night."

I felt heat creep into my cheeks. "I didn't realize you were expecting a greeting."

"Not expecting," he clarified. "Just surprised. Most people in this town go out of their way to remind me we've met, even if it was just passing in a hallway five years ago."

"Well, I'm not most people."

"Clearly," he agreed. "But you