Chapter 52: An Apparition

Hallie felt a shiver pass through her body as she recalled the time she had been caught shoplifting. She tried to think that she had become a better person since then. But had she been just pretending to be good, she wondered.

“Now you’re going to bring up the stealing incident?” she said with a sigh.

“I never want to bring that up,” Rob said, holding up a hand defensively. “I know you’re not the same person anymore.”

At this moment, Luke strolled into the café. Sometimes they crossed paths here, though it was obvious he hadn’t been intentionally looking for her. A surprised expression came over his face when he saw her sitting there.

Hallie was surprised too: Luke was wearing one of his blindingly white shirts, which was stained with what looked like the contents of an entire cup of coffee. Some of the liquid had even discolored the front and side of his trousers.