A plan started to take shape in my head. First, I’d stop at the little café down the street for a cup of coffee. I’m a Brit so I mainly drink tea but I’ve spent enough time in the US that I’ve come around to having one big, steaming mug of joe in the morning and this place did the best in town.

I’d get my coffee, cruise around a little more, then there was an engine I wanted to work on. This afternoon, I might call Jackie. Or Stephanie. Or that dental receptionist…Hannah? I’d got myself a nice little list of booty calls around Mount Mercy, women who melted when they heard my accent in a bar and liked it even more when I was on top of them, whispering in their ear as I spread their legs and told them all the filthy things I was going to do to them.

Okay, maybe driving is my second favorite thing.

I made sure the women knew upfront that it was just fun, that it wasn’t going to turn into anything, and they always nodded eagerly: that’s all I want, too. But I knew that after a few months, they’d start to get attached and I’d have to gently push them away. I hated doing it, but it was the only way. I couldn’t give them what they needed.

I couldn’t love them.

Back to the plan. After the booty call I’d grab a bite to eat and then in the evening, when JD got back, I had to take him out for a drink. It was going to be a tough night for him: the anniversary. Of course, JD being JD, he wouldn’t talk about it, but I could at least sit in a bar with him and make sure the poor guy wasn’t on his own.

I pulled up in front of the café, turned off the engine and stepped out. I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the café’s windows. Looking sharp.

“Somebody stop him!”

The yell came from inside the café but it took me a second to find the speaker. She was small and slender built and she was drowned in all these layers of clothes that made her seem even smaller, but it was more than that. She sort of…hid, like she didn’t want anyone to notice her.

I followed her eyes. A guy was running towards the café’s door, a cherry-colored backpack in his arms with a laptop sticking out of the top. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on.

The woman raced across the café and caught up with the guy just as he got through the door. “Stop!” she pleaded.

The guy turned to her and straight-armed her back into the door. She smacked into it and went down hard.