“We should talk,” she said, instead. She took the cup from Kristin’s outstretched hand.

“Sure. Whatever you need.” Kristin tilted her head.

Annie put down the cup and took a sheet of paper from the stack she kept beneath the counter. With a trembling hand, she wrote “Back in 5.” She turned the sign on the door to “Closed” and stuck the sheet of paper to the window. She wanted no interruptions during this talk.

“Should I be worried?” Kristin asked, after they’d sat down. “Are you and Jane no longer happy with our business arrangement?”

“It has nothing to do with that. Well, I mean, it does indirectly. But this is not about business.” Christ. Annie may have felt she needed to do something about this—and this being the only thing she could possibly think of—but it wasn’t easy to find the right words. “It’s me. I, er…” Annie stammered. “I’ve upset Jane and I’m afraid the only way to make things better between us is to ask you…” It sounded so ludicrous. But if Annie wanted Kristin to stay away from her own coffee shop for a while, she would need to plead her case with absolute honesty. “To keep your distance for a while. Which is wholly unfair, I know. But I don’t know how else to do this.”

“I’m not sure I know what you’re trying to say,” Kristin said.

Annie shook her head. “Look, Kristin, I have developed feelings for you. A silly crush. Er, I don’t mean you are silly, of course. It’s me. Half the time, I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m around you. Jane knows this and seeing us in the shop together earlier… well, you saw the result.”

Kristin stroked her chin. “I had no idea.”

“I thought it would be obvious by now. Caitlin had me all figured out the very first time we met.”

Kristin shook her head. “I don’t really know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just don’t be offended if I keep my distance for… a while.”

“Offended? I’m flattered.” Kristin chuckled, then corrected herself. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make light of this. Obviously, it’s having an adverse effect on your relationship with Jane, which is understandable.”

“My only option is to be rational about this. Which is not an easy thing to do, because nothing about this is rational. But I need to stay away from you for a bit. As far as I can see, it’s the only solution.”

Kristin nodded. “I understand, Annie. I do. I can conduct my business from a distance. That’s why I hired Mia, after all. It’s just, well, we were becoming friends… Do you want me to stop volunteering at the kitchen as well?”