Sleep didn't come easy. Mika tossed and turned, Lex's voice and touch etched into her memory. He was strange. Intense. Magnetic. Like he'd appeared straight from a dream—or a nightmare.
The next morning, she didn't have work. She leashed Logan and set out for a walk to clear her head. The sun hadn't fully risen, and mist clung to the ground.
She saw him again. Lex. Standing near the corner bookstore.
Logan barked, his hackles raised. Mika's heart thudded. Lex smiled.
"Hey," he said. "You're the girl from the bar."
"Mika."
"Lex."
They shook hands. His was cool and firm. Her pulse jumped.
"Mind if I pet him?"
Logan growled. Mika hesitated but gave a nod. Lex crouched, hand extended. Logan sniffed, then sat, still wary but quiet.
"You okay?" Lex asked. "After the other night?"
"I'm... trying to be."
"Coffee?" he offered. "There's a place that lets dogs. My treat."
She agreed.
They walked in silence for a moment. Then she asked, "What do you do?"
"Odd jobs. Dog-walking. Lawn care. Whatever I can find."
"Oh! Want to walk Logan sometimes? I work late."
"Sure."
"How much an hour?"
"Five bucks."
They reached the cafe. Mika held the door. Inside, they found a booth in the back. Logan curled under the table.
A waitress came by. Mika ordered pink lemonade. Lex asked for water—no ice.
"You were kinda cold to her," Mika said.
Lex shrugged, eyes flicking toward Logan. "Didn't like the way she looked at your dog."
She raised a brow but said nothing.
"Any hobbies?" he asked.
"I paint. Sketch. Organize things, oddly enough."
He smiled, genuinely. "That suits you."
She glanced at him. There was something off—something dark under the surface. But for now, she was curious. And she wasn't ready to walk away.
Not yet.