Chapter 7 Chapter Seven: Lists and Loose Ends

By Saturday morning, Rowan was running on coffee, lists, and sheer determination. Her passenger seat was buried under expo prep. Boxes of sample items. Stacks of branded flyers.

Two separate bags labeled “giveaways” and “backup giveaways”, because she didn’t trust anyone to remember what mattered when it actually counted. Jess will laugh when she sees it. Like she did last night.

“You’re packing like we’re going to war,” Jess had said the night before, curled up on Rowan’s couch with a glass of wine.

“It is war,” Rowan had replied, not even looking up from her checklist. “Just with name tags and bad lighting.”

Jess had grinned. “You love it.”

Rowan had paused then. Just for a second.

“…I like being prepared.”

Jess hadn’t pushed. She never did. Now, as Rowan pulled into a small strip center parking lot, she exhaled slowly, cutting the engine. 

“Okay,” she muttered. “Last stop.”

Coffee, then one more supply run. Then she could finally be done. The bell above the café door chimed softly as she stepped inside, the scent of roasted coffee immediately wrapping around her. Warm. Exactly what she needed. She stepped into line, rolling her shoulders slightly, trying to shake off the lingering tension that had followed her all morning. It wasn’t anything specific. Just that feeling again. Like she was forgetting something, or someone. Rowan frowned faintly, shifting her weight.

“Probably just stress,” she murmured.

The line moved. She ordered without thinking, same drink she always got, and stepped to the side to wait. Her phone buzzed in her hand. Jess.

Jess: Tell me you remembered the pens this time

Rowan snorted softly.

Rowan: I have three boxes of pens

Jess: You’re ridiculous

Rowan: You’ll thank me when everyone else runs out

A pause.

Jess: You, okay? You’ve been kind of off

Rowan stared at the message for a second longer than necessary.

She typed. Deleted it. Typed again.

Rowan: Just tired. Expo stuff.

That was easier. Cleaner.

Jess’s reply came quickly.

Jess: You’ve been “just tired” since I met you

Rowan smiled faintly.

Jess: Also, your taste in men is trash but that’s a separate issue

Rowan let out a quiet laugh under her breath.

“Not wrong,” she muttered.

Because it wasn’t. Her relationships never lasted. Not really. It wasn’t for lack of trying. She just lost interest, or they did. Something always felt…off. Like she was only halfway there. Jess said it was because she overthought everything. Rowan said it was because she refused to settle. The truth was probably somewhere in the middle.

“Rowan?”

She looked up, startled slightly.

“Sorry,” the barista said, holding out her drink. “I called your name twice.”

Rowan blinked.

“Oh, sorry. Thanks.”

She took the cup, fingers tightening slightly around it. Twice?

“I didn’t hear you,” she added.

The barista just smiled politely. “Happens.”

Rowan nodded, stepping aside. But that feeling, it crept back in. Stronger now. She turned slightly, scanning the café. People talking, typing, laughing. Normal. Still…. for a split second, she could’ve sworn, someone was watching her. Not obvious. Not direct. Just…there. Rowan shook her head, pushing the thought away as she headed for the door.

“Get it together,” she muttered.

Outside, the air felt cooler. Clearer. She took a sip of her coffee, letting the normalcy of it ground her. Lists, supplies, expo. That’s what mattered. Everything else was just stress. It had to be.

Across the street, unnoticed, a figure stood just long enough to watch her leave. Then turned away.