It would’ve worked out. He did fall in love with me, just like I fell in love with him. Oh, no, I think, and I chuckle to myself. Is this the instalove Ethan and I talked about? No, it’s not, and I don’t want to think about Ethan. What Max… Aaron and I shared was not about staring into each other’s eyes across the room. I have to remind myself it’s Aaron now. It’s not Max anymore. It has to be. What Aaron and I shared was months of getting to know each other, all in one day. It’s like drinking concentrate syrup versus pouring water over it.

“Can I also have orange juice?” Brienne asks, and I realize I missed the rest of her order.

“Concentrate or with water?” I ask and she stares. “Sorry. Thinking out loud. It’s freshly squeezed, of course. Don’t mind me.”

I scan the café for a solution—Ethan’s table. There’s another table, but it won’t do.

I take her order and then lead the way to Ethan’s table.

She stops in front of it. “Are you sure? This is usually Ethan’s.”

“I’m sure,” I say, not before rolling my eyes. I don’t see a ‘reserved’ sign on it.

I take care of the next customers and make sure there’s no empty table when Alan orders.

“I think I’ll take it to go,” he says, looking around.

“Nonsense. I know how much you enjoy your breakfast here. I’ll find a solution,” I say as I pretend to scan the room.

“Follow me,” I say when I have his order.

I stop at Ethan’s table, where Brienne is with her back to us, facing the window.

“Brienne, do you mind if Alan sits with you? It’s packed in here this morning,” I say, sounding innocent and casual.

She seems startled at first and barely looks at Alan. He has the same reaction. These two are made for each other, I think, and I see the story playing out in my mind.

“I don’t want to bother you,” says Alan, his cheeks turning red.

“No—no bother,” she says. “Please, sit down.”

I turn around and hear Alan say, “I’ve seen you here almost every morning.”

Brienne says something, but I can’t hear. They both laugh.

“If you need anything else, just let me know,” I say.

“We will,” they both say and then they look at each other. And I see the smiles.

Maybe I haven’t been a good person since I came here. Maybe I’ve made mistakes and I manipulated people and I was selfish, but right now, in this very moment, I feel better about myself. I think I did a good thing. I look at them. He’s leaning forward; she’s giggling. Yes, this is a good thing. And it can work. It will work.

As the crowd calms down a bit and I’m still watching Alan and Brienne who have been here for hours, I reach for my bag, take out the notebook for a second time and continue writing their love story. The irony of me starting to write again in Ethan’s notebook is not lost on me.