Chapter 20: Shadow of the Past

POV: Theo Sinclair

The rain came down in steady sheets, tapping against the windows of Chapters & Brews. The café hummed with the usual rhythms: the hiss of the espresso machine, the murmur of conversations, the occasional clink of a spoon against a ceramic mug. It was the kind of background noise that usually settled me, grounding me in the present.

But not today.

Vanessa was in town.

Even thinking her name made my stomach churn. I hadn't seen her since New York—since the day I walked into Alex's office and found them together. I'd spent the last year trying to forget her, trying to erase the memory of her laugh, her touch, the lies she'd told with such ease.

And now, just as things were starting to feel steady, she was here, threatening to unravel everything.

I stared down at my coffee, the steam curling upward in lazy spirals, and wondered how long it would take before the storm hit.

"You've been staring at that same coffee cup for ten minutes," Mia said, sliding into the seat across from me.

I blinked, glancing at the cup before setting it down. "Just thinking."

Mia raised an eyebrow, resting her chin on her hand. "Uh-huh. And does this 'thinking' have anything to do with the text you got yesterday?"

I shot her a warning look.

"Okay, okay," she said, holding up her hands. "I'm just saying, if you're going to brood, at least be productive about it. Maybe talk to someone who can actually help?"

"I don't need help," I muttered.

"Sure," Mia said, smirking. "But just in case you change your mind, might I remind you of a certain red-haired librarian? Or, I don't know, your best friend who's practically a therapist?"

I frowned. "Ryan doesn't need to hear about this."

"Of course not," Mia said, rolling her eyes. "Because he's only known you your entire life and has absolutely no experience dealing with your emotional baggage."

"Are you done?"

"Not even close," Mia said, grinning. "But I'll stop for now. Just promise me you'll think about it?"

I sighed. "Fine. I'll think about it."

"Good," Mia said, standing. "Because if you don't, I'm calling him myself. Someone needs to knock some sense into you."

The rain had eased by the time I made my way to the library. The streets were quiet, the only sounds the occasional splash of water and the distant rumble of thunder.

Evelyn was at her usual spot behind the desk when I walked in, her red curls glowing in the warm light of the library. She looked up as the door chime sounded, her expression softening when she saw me.

"You're back," she said, her voice warm.

"Miss me?" I asked, though my attempt at humor felt flat even to me.

She studied me for a moment, her green and blue eyes narrowing slightly. "Always."

We settled into a comfortable rhythm, working together on the final preparations for the event. Evelyn's focus was unwavering, her hands moving efficiently as she sorted through the scavenger hunt materials.

But even as we worked, I could feel her eyes on me, her quiet concern cutting through the fog in my mind.

"You're quiet today," she said eventually, her voice gentle.

"Just a lot on my mind," I said, my voice clipped.

Evelyn set down the stack of papers she was holding and turned to face me fully. "Theo, if something's bothering you, you can talk to me. You know that, right?"

I hesitated, the words sticking in my throat. Part of me wanted to tell her everything—to lay it all out and let her see the mess I'd been running from. But the other part, the part that had spent years building walls, held me back.

"It's nothing," I said finally. "Just some family stuff."

Evelyn frowned, her green and blue eyes narrowing. "You don't have to handle it alone."

Her words hit harder than I expected, the sincerity in her voice cutting through the noise in my head.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

We worked in companionable silence for the next hour, the tension in my chest easing as the library's calmness wrapped around me.

At one point, Evelyn glanced at the clock and sighed. "I should check on my grandmother soon. She's been having a rough week."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I asked, surprising myself with the offer.

Evelyn blinked, clearly caught off guard. "That's sweet, but I think I've got it. Maybe next time."

"Next time," I repeated, a small smile tugging at my lips.

As the evening wore on, the library emptied out, leaving just the two of us. The rain had started again, its rhythmic tapping filling the quiet spaces between our conversation.

"You've been a huge help," Evelyn said as we finished up.

"Anytime," I said, meaning it more than I realized.

She hesitated, her gaze lingering on me. "Theo, whatever's going on… I'm here. Okay?"

For a moment, I couldn't speak. Her words were simple, but they carried a weight that settled somewhere deep in my chest.

"Okay," I said finally.

The rain had turned into a downpour by the time I left, but I didn't mind. The cool air felt like a reset, the storm washing away the edges of my unease.

As I walked back to the café, my thoughts circled back to Evelyn—the way she saw through my defenses without even trying, the way her presence seemed to steady me in a way I hadn't thought possible.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't facing the storm alone.