Dear Rory,
I'm sorry about what I said.
I'm leaving for LA in two days.
Can we talk before then, please?
We can just drive around as usual.
I don't know how to do this if
you're upset with me.
Call me please. I'm staying at my
parents' house...
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———
When I walk into Moka on 6th avenue, Taylor's already waiting for me.
I can't help but compare her outfit to the way she looked last night at that award show. She was all glamorous and sparkly, shimmering for the whole world to see. Today, she's wearing a pair of black jeans and a blue t-shirt with cats printed on the front, tucked into her pants. She barely has any makeup on. Her outfit is by no means glamorous. She stills looks effortlessly beautiful though.
I've always envied her ability to just look good.
"Rory! Hey!" She calls out, getting up from her seat when I walk inside.
I give her a closed-lip smile, waving a little awkwardly as I make my way over to the little table she has in the corner. "Hey... Taylor."
She moves toward me, and for a second, it feels like she might have been going for a hug, but she retracts and just points at the chair opposite hers.
I'm reminded of the last time we sat opposite each other at a café, about thirteen years ago. It was the Starbucks back home. Not a memory I'm particularly fond of.
"I'm really glad you made it! Hi!" She says, greeting me yet again as she sits back down.
I chuckle, placing my bag down just as a waiter passes by with a cup of coffee for Taylor.
"I'm sorry, I didn't wait for you. I feel like my head's about to explode!"
"It's cool, you're good!" I reassure her, sliding into the seat across from her.
"Hi, welcome to Moka. You can check out our menu on this QR code right here," the waiter says, handing me a small, laminated piece of paper.
"Thank you, I'll only have a latte, though, with oat milk, please!"
"Great! I'll be right back with your coffee!"
"Thank you!"
"Do you wanna eat anything?" Taylor asks, wrapping her fingers around her mug and bringing it closer to her side. "They have some really nice bagels here."
"I know, I've been here before," I tell her. I can see the Finch & Sparrow building from the windows.
The day of my first meeting with my publisher, Rebecca bought me a coffee from here. The day my first book got published, we all celebrated with their homemade chocolate chip banana muffins. When we learned that Stuck With You had sold a million copies, we ordered their coffee cake with "1,000,000" written on top in frosting.
I smile at Taylor tightly and clear my throat. "I've already eaten, though. Are you hungry?"
She just shakes her head. "I'm so hungover, the thought of food is making me queasy."
