Mr. Knight/A Jordan Knight Fanfic ✔️

8

8. aubade

Friday afternoon after my office hours and poetry class, I catch a bus to meet Claire for a late lunch in Fremont. The weather is frigid but clear, another storm not due until Sunday.

When I arrive at our favorite artsy café, Tullamore, it's slammed, no tables or chairs in sight. I don't see Claire, so I head outside to call her. She answers on the first ring.

"I'm on the back patio. The heaters are on so it's habitable. Is the wait still long?"

I make my way back inside to join the line. "It's not bad. Keep the table. What do you want?"

She rattles off an order and we hang up. The line moves quickly, the staff efficient as always. Before five minutes pass, I'm at the counter.

"Hi, what can I get you?" asks a slim, lovely brunette with amazing curls. She looks familiar, but I can't place where I know her from.

"Two large lattes and two turkey-avocado sandwiches, please."

"Sure thing." She jots down the order and shouts at the barista, who nods. "Anything else?"

"Nope, thanks." As she takes my money, I can't help asking, "Do we know each other?"

She gives me a searching look, then visibly brightens. "You're Allison's sister, right? Sorry, I forgot your name."

It clicks when I spy her name tag. Rose. "I think we met at Allison's last year. I'm Darcy."

"That's right, we're the flower girls!" she says, grinning. She glances meaningfully over my shoulder. "I'd totally chat, but the line is getting out of hand again."

"Oops, sorry." Blushing, I grab the table placard she's offering and move away from the register.

"Great to see you, Darcy!"

"You, too!" I call, then head down the hallway and outside.

Claire looks up from a book, smile faltering as she sees me. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head. "Nothing. I'm just super awkward in public."

She laughs. "You just described every grad student I know."

I share her laughter. "True story. What are you reading?" With a sheepish grin, she shows me the cover. My mouth drops. "'When a Cowboy Comes Calling'? Are you serious with this right now?"

She snorts and tosses the trashy romance to the table. "It's your fault. I finally saw the light and ended things with Monty. Now I'm in lust with Griffen." Her expression becomes vulnerable. "He's a good guy, right?"

"Yes," I say honestly. "He's respectful, hardworking, and his GPA is higher than mine. He's also funny, kind, and hello, he's a real-life cowboy."

She grins in relief. "Okay. Well, I guess I'm moving to Texas next year."

We're still giggling when our food and drinks arrive. Surprisingly, they're delivered by Rose.

"Hey, Darcy, sorry I didn't recognize you earlier," she says, smiling sweetly. "My brain is totally on the fritz. I've, uh, developed a thing about people asking if they know me."

Although I don't actually know her outside our one meeting and through random intel from Allison, another vague memory surfaces.

"Oh, are you still, um, dealing with fallout from that..." I rack my brain and can't for the life of me remember.

Rose grins. "I gotta say, it's pretty awesome you have no idea."

Claire coughs over the words, "Breaking Giants."