“Do you have a minute?” Mia asked Lou after she’d ordered. She felt suddenly much shyer, an altogether different emotion from the ones she’d felt every previous time Lou had walked in. She was feeling insecure as well. Perhaps even questioning of Lou’s motives, now that an actual date had been set.

“Morning,” Lou said, and the smile she gave Mia was so wide and sunny and doubt-erasing, that Mia felt compelled to do what she’d done the night before when Lou was about to leave. She put her hands gently on her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek, not caring or even wondering whether that was appropriate. Besides, from what Sheryl had told her about the Pink Bean, many romances had sprouted here, so Mia figured a chaste kiss on the cheek might even be encouraged.

Lou took a step back and regarded her funnily, her eyes slightly narrowed. Perhaps the cheek kiss had surprised her.

“Do come to yoga tonight,” she said. “Even though I’m not supposed to focus more on one student, I’ll pay special attention to your posture.”

Mia had brought her workout gear, but now she was definitely going. Still, she had to ask. “Are we still on for Wednesday?”

“Of course. I’m looking forward to it, although I may have slightly overestimated my cooking skills.”

“Take out is fine with me,” Mia said.

“No, take out won’t do.” Lou stepped closer again. “Is there anything you don’t eat?”

Mia shook her head, sank her teeth into her bottom lip, and just looked at Lou. It was liberating to do so, to feel this chemistry crackle in the air between them, to be aware of the promise of what could be—a sentiment she had become a bit jaded about the last few years. Because she always knew it would be gone soon.

“Bring a bottle of wine of your choosing then.”

“Psst,” Jo whispered from the counter. “Here’s your coffee, Lou.”

“I’d best get back to work,” Mia said. “See you soon.” As she made her way back behind the counter, she made a mental note to ask if she could stay over at Kristin and Sheryl’s on Wednesday night.

“I can keep a secret, Mia,” Jo said. “But sparks were flying all over the place, so you’re lucky it was just Amber and me in here and not Micky with her big mouth otherwise the entire population of Darlinghurst would know about your date within the next twenty-four hours.”

Mia ran a hand through her hair, then rang the bell. It was odd that she’d actually been to Lou’s house before.