By the time the five of them were settled at the restaurant, Katherine was already regretting the decision she hadn't even made herself.
Katherine sat with Maya on her right and Nathan across from her, squished beside Felix, while Leonard occupied the seat next to Maya. Their table was rounded and made for family-style meals. Normally, she'd have found the layout charming, even homey. But with Leonard here, sitting comfortably like he belonged, it felt more like a slow-burn headache in the making.
She adjusted the napkin on her lap and reached for the glass of water in front of her. Leonard's presence had been like an unexpected extra guest on a birthday you didn't want to celebrate. But what was the use of crying over spilled milk—or spilled surprise lunch plans?
