It looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he silently focused on the road. I wasn’t going to ask if he knew more about Elias’s dad since I wasn’t exactly supposed to be aware of the goings-on of his personal life. I just made a friendly noise of acknowledgment and didn’t say another word.

I was already wrung out from the roller coaster of feelings I’d been on this morning, and the sun wasn’t even out yet. My skin felt tight from worry, but also because I was ashamed that Elias was going through so much and I had the nerve to feel sorry for myself. I needed to take things down a notch. More than that, I needed to let this go.

Zebene’s voice mercifully yanked me out of my pity party, and I felt like an ass because I had no idea what he’d just said to me. “I’m sorry. You said something?”

He nodded, his eyes still on the road. “Just asking if you wanted to get breakfast and some bunna before we get on the road.”

My stomach grumbled at the mention of food and coffee, and we both laughed. “Yes, please.”

“Eshi. We can stop at Kaldi’s.”

My heart lurched at the mention of Kaldi’s. Going there with Elias on that first morning felt like it happened a million years ago. Once again, I told myself I needed to concentrate on the work I was here to do and try to figure out what was next for me. As wonderful as things had been with Elias, I knew at some level I was using him as an excuse to not face the decisions I needed to make. I would take his absence as an opportunity to finally focus.

I pulled my sunglasses out of my bag and put them on as the sun rose, casting the city in an orange and purple glow. When I looked over at Zebene, I tried to project an ease I wasn’t feeling just yet.

“Kaldi’s sounds great.”

Chapter 19

Once I got to the site, work started immediately. The second survey area we needed to cover was almost twice the size of the first one, in about the same time. I hit the ground running the moment I got there, and for the next few days had little time to think about Elias or my other self-made issues. I did make sure I texted him to ask about his dad, and he responded gratefully, letting me know he was doing much better. He also asked how things were going, and said he was looking forward to seeing me. I tried to be friendly and cordial, but also cut out all flirting from my texts to him.