Chapter 162
The knock on the car window made Elodie’s heart skip, just a small flutter, nothing more. She turned to see Harry standing there, hands in his pockets, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else but also somehow exactly where he meant to be.
Of all the places, she thought, slowly rolling down the window. The autumn air rushed in, carrying the scent of rain that hadn’t quite started yet.
"Mr. Becker." She kept her voice neutral.
His eyes searched her face, and she could practically see the assessment happening behind them, checking for signs of damage, exhaustion, whatever he expected to find after everything that had happened. When he found nothing but her carefully composed expression, something flickered across his features. Relief? Disappointment that she didn’t need rescuing?
"Is there something you need, Mr. Becker?"
Please say no. Please just walk away.
"I came here for something," he said, shifting his weight slightly. "Saw your car, thought I’d come over and say hello."
The words hung between them, and Elodie almost laughed. They both knew he could’ve easily pretended not to see her. Could’ve walked past without this awkward dance they were doing now. But here he was, standing in the drizzle that had just started, making small talk like they were old friends instead of... whatever they were.
He helped you before, she reminded herself. And you’ll see him when you visit Daisy. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.
She nodded, aiming for polite distance. "Then you should get going, I—"
"Actually," he cut in, and she noticed how his jaw tightened slightly, like he was improvising. "I heard there’s a famous pastry shop around here. Been looking but can’t seem to find it. You wouldn’t happen to know where it is?"
Elodie blinked. Harry Becker, asking for directions to a bakery? The man who probably had three assistants who could GPS their way to the moon if he asked? But his expression was earnest enough, even if his eyes kept drifting to her hands on the steering wheel, her face, anywhere but direct eye contact.