Jude arrives first.
Not early in an anxious way. Just early enough to claim a small table near the window, where the noise settles instead of presses. He orders coffee he doesn't really want and lets his shoulders drop for the first time all day.
Work had been loud. Relentless. The kind of day that leaves your mind buzzing long after the last task is done.
He checks his phone once. Puts it face down.
Then the door opens.
Selah steps inside, and the room reacts before she does.
It's subtle. A pause in conversation here, a glance there. A guy near the counter does the unconscious up-and-down look. A couple of women exchange a glance that could mean anything.
Selah doesn't register any of it. Or if she does, it doesn't reach her.
She's wearing a sweater and jeans, both fitted. Not styled for effect. Just comfortable. Just… her.
Jude notices. Not greedily. Not hungrily. Just… fully.
It hits him all at once. This is the first time he's seeing her like this. Not framed by rain or sickness or distance. Just Selah. No circumstances between them.
He raises a hand.
She sees him, and her face softens in a way that feels private. Intentional. Like she chose it.
"Hey," she says as she reaches the table.
And before either of them fully decides to, they step in and hug. The kind that feels like it was already in motion before they caught up to it.
They separate with a shared awareness that something about that felt right.
"I didn't hate that," she says, a small smile forming as she sets her bag down.
They sit. And for a moment, neither of them rushes to fill the space.
Jude notices the quiet first—how easy it is. How the noise of the coffee shop fades just enough.
Selah notices something else. She doesn't feel like she has to arrive here.
She already is.
"How was your day?" he asks.
She exhales, then smiles. "Long. Loud. I don't want to talk about it."
He nods. "Same."
"Isn't it amazing," she says, "how much better that makes it when you don't talk about work?"
He laughs softly. "Soooo much better."
They order drinks they actually want this time.
When Selah stands to go to the restroom, Jude's eyes follow her. Not scanning, just wanting to see all of her. He catches himself and looks away.
When she returns, she doesn't notice anything except that something in the air feels warmer. More present.
They talk about small things. A movie neither of them finished. A podcast Jude half-recommends, then walks back. Selah teases him for it. He takes it in stride.
She yawns. Not the bored kind.
"Are you tired?" he asks, gently.
Selah shoots him a quick, playful glance. "Do I look tired?"
Jude smiles. "You definitely don't look tired."
"I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight," she says. "But in a good way. Like…I earned this."
He considers that. "Yeah. That's exactly it."
Another pause. Comfortable. Unforced.
"So…ever been married?"
A small exhale from her. "I did that once."
She tilts her head. "You?"
Jude shakes his head. "Once. Years ago."
Another moment. "Kids?"
She shakes her head. "No. You?"
A small, proud smile. "Yeah. One daughter. Grown. Lives in Houston."
Selah watches his hands as he wraps them around his mug. Notices the stillness there. The lack of performance. It lands somewhere deeper than charm ever could.
"I have to tell you this," Jude says, looking at her. "I love your hair. Those curls…really work."
Selah's expression shifts into mild surprise, then something softer. "I have the same hair as my abuelita."
"Oh, nice. Mexican?" Jude asks, curious.
"Chilean, actually."
Jude's eyebrows wrinkle slightly. "So, the Fierce part? I mean, Fierce is a super cool name. But it isn't Chilean, is it?"
Selah chuckles. "Nope. Definitely not Chilean. My father's side of the family is actually from Crete. Our original surname was Phereus, but it eventually got shortened to Fierce."
"Wow. Greek, huh? So you're a goddess?" Jude's face gives him away.
"Little g, of course," Selah says.
They laugh. Natural. Easy.
"I'm glad we did this," she says, not looking at him when she says it.
"Me too," he replies, without hesitation.
She smiles at that.
Outside, the light is fading. Evening settling in. Neither of them mentions leaving, but both are aware of it.
Jude pays without comment. Selah notices and lets it go.
As they stand, she hesitates for a moment. This time, Craig notices.
"Would you take a walk with me before we call it a night?" he asks.
She looks at him, eyes steady. Curious. Warm.
"Yeah," she says. "I'd like that."
They head for the door together. Unrushed. Aligned.
It isn't a question anymore.