Chapter 69 - Chapter 69 – The Distance Between Words

The café was tucked beneath a row of old jacaranda trees, their gnarled branches stretching wide, casting dappled shadows on the pavement below. Purple blooms drifted lazily in the breeze, settling on the sidewalk like soft lilac dust. The air smelled faintly floral, mixed with the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee beans wafting from inside. Thiago arrived early, his fingers tapping restlessly against his thigh as he waited. He hadn't dressed up—just a plain white tee, slightly wrinkled from the morning rush, and well-worn jeans—but he'd spent too long rehearsing what to say, only to have the words dissolve the moment he saw her.