Rush

with ten minutes to spare and opened the door to La Patisserie. The bell
     jangled, a familiar sound as the door shut behind her, and she smiled a greeting at
     Greg and Louisa, the owners of the shop.
    “Hello, Mia!” Louisa called out from behind the counter.
    Mia offered a wave and quickly ducked into the back to get her apron and hat. It was
     a ridiculous French beret, and she always felt silly wearing it, but Greg and Louisa
     insisted on all the employees wearing them.
    When she made her way back to the front, Louisa waved her over.
    “I’ve got the counter today. Greg will be in the back baking. We have a huge order
     to fill by tonight, so can you man the tables?”
    “Sure,” Mia said.
    There were only five tables in the tiny café. It was mostly a takeout spot for coffee,
     croissants and delicious confections, but a few of their regulars liked to take their
     coffee and food inside on their lunch break. There were an additional four tables
     on the sidewalk, but they were self-serve and she didn’t have to wait those tables.
    “Have you eaten?” Louisa asked.
    Mia smiled. Louisa was always concerned that Mia didn’t eat enough or that she skipped
     meals, and as a result she was forever trying to force food on Mia.
    “I ate this morning. I’ll grab a bite before I leave.”
    “Okay, be sure and try Greg’s new sandwich. He’ll want your opinion. He’s testing
     it out on a few customers today to get feedback. He wants to add it to our menu.”
    Mia nodded and then headed toward a table where a couple had just sat down.
    For the next hour, Mia worked the lunch rush and was too busy to give the matter with
     Gabe her full attention. It definitely still occupied a huge part of her brain. She
     was less attentive than usual, and she messed up two orders, something she rarely
     did.
    Louisa sent concerned looks her way, but Mia stayed busy, not wanting the older woman
     to worry, or worse, to ask her if anything was wrong.
    At two, the lunch rush started winding down, and the shop started to empty of the
     steady stream of customers. Mia was just about to take a break, grab a drink and sit
     down for a minute, when she looked up and saw Gabe walk through the door.
    She stumbled in midstride and nearly went sprawling on the floor. Gabe lunged forward
     and caught her before she could fall. His hands remained firmly wrapped around her
     arms even after she’d steadied herself. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment, and
     she hastily glanced around to see if anyone had witnessed her clumsiness.
    “Are you all right?” Gabe asked in a low voice.
    “I’m fine,” she managed to get out. “What are you doing here?”
    His mouth quirked into that half smile, and he regarded her with that lazy gaze. “I
     came to see you. Why else would I be here?”
    “Because they have good coffee?”
    He started toward the table in the far corner, his hand still curled around her elbow.
    “Gabe, I have to work,” she whispered fiercely.
    “You can take my order,” he said as he took his seat.
    She huffed in exasperation. “You don’t eat here and you know it. I can’t ever imagine
     you eating in a place like this.”
    He lifted an eyebrow. “Are you calling me a snob?”
    “I’m merely making an observation.”
    He picked up the menu and studied it for a moment before lowering it again. “Coffee
     and a croissant.”
    She shook her head and walked around the back of the counter to get the croissant
     and pour a cup of coffee. Thank God Louisa had gone in the back with Greg and hadn’t
     witnessed her falling all over herself. She had no desire to answer questions about
     who Gabe was.
    She had to wait for her hands to stop shaking before she picked up the cup of coffee.
     She carried it and the saucer with the croissant to Gabe and placed them both in front
     of him. When she would have retreated, his hand shot out to grab hers.
    “Take a moment and sit down, Mia. No one’s in the shop.”
    “I can’t just sit down. I’m at work, Gabe.”
    “Are you not allowed a break ever?”
    She wasn’t about to tell him that she had been just about to do that very thing when
     he’d walked in. Hell, she wouldn’t put it past him to have waited until the shop emptied
     when he knew she wouldn’t be occupied to come in.
    With a resigned sigh, she sat in the chair across from him and leveled a stare in
     his direction.
    “Why are you here, Gabe? You said I had until Monday.”
    “I wanted to see