She didn’t seem the least bit surprised to find me sitting at the little round table by the register.

“Serena,” she said, her voice soft and carefully polite.

“I didn’t think you’d be out of the house today.”

“I went for a walk,” I said.

She pulled out the metal chair across from me and sat without asking.

“Patrick’s been very busy with the new Oakridge commercial filings,” Chloe said.

She took a slow sip through her straw, watching me over the rim of the plastic lid.

“He handles the company accounts,” I said.