The cafeteria smelled of roasted chicken and freshly brewed coffee, a mix of savory and bitter scents that lingered in the air. Trays clattered against the counters, forks scraped on plates, and the hum of conversation filled the wide, open space. It was a world Katherine rarely stepped into with Felix, because he never did.
That was why her steps faltered when he veered in this direction after their morning meeting.
"The cafeteria?" she asked, certain she must have misheard him.
Felix glanced back at her, dark eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Yes. Don't tell me you're afraid of eating with me in public." His voice carried its usual teasing edge, but underneath it was a weight that made Katherine's pulse quicken.
"I just… didn't think you liked this place," she admitted as they walked toward the self-service line. "You usually prefer, well, not this."
