Chapter 3
For two whole days, Rio had stared at her phone more than she cared to admit. She’d never been the type to overthink a text—hell, she prided herself on her snarky, off-the-cuff responses—but something about texting Agatha felt… heavy. Like there was a wrong move she could make that would collapse whatever tentative connection they’d built during their dinner.
And so, she didn’t text.
But neither did Agatha.
By day three, Rio’s cynicism was running on overdrive, whispering little reminders that this was probably for the best. The date had been fun—more fun than she’d had in years—but it wasn’t going anywhere. Agatha was older, polished, and confident in ways Rio couldn’t hope to match.
“See?” she muttered to herself in her car as she parked a block away from the coffee shop they’d mentioned during their date. “This is why you don’t do this dating crap. You’re already spiraling, and she’s probably moved on without a second thought.”
Still, she found herself standing on the sidewalk, staring at the familiar brick facade of the shop. She’d told herself this was casual. A coffee shop run wasn’t a big deal. She just… wanted a good cup of coffee. If Agatha happened to be there, that’d be a coincidence. Totally coincidental.
With a deep breath, she started walking toward the entrance. But before she could push the door open, her gaze caught on a figure sitting by the window. Agatha.
Rio froze.
There she was, leaning back in her chair, dark hair catching the light streaming through the window, her laugh—visible through the glass—turning her whole face into something warm and magnetic.
But she wasn’t alone.
Sitting across from her was another woman, blonde and vibrant, gesturing animatedly as they talked. Agatha smiled at her, leaning in like she was genuinely enjoying the conversation, and Rio’s stomach clenched.
Of course. Of course, she was here with someone else. Why wouldn’t she be? Agatha was gorgeous and sharp and probably didn’t have trouble finding someone to meet her standards.
Rio’s feet took a step back before her mind could catch up. A slow heat crept into her chest, not from anger, but from embarrassment. She’d let herself get caught up in the idea of them—let herself hope, of all things. And here was reality, crashing back in like it always did.
She turned on her heel, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets, and walked quickly back to her car. She didn’t need coffee. She didn’t need to make a fool of herself, either.
As she slammed her car door shut and gripped the steering wheel, she tried to laugh it off. “See? This is why you keep your expectations low,” she muttered to no one in particular.
--
“Are you sure this isn’t weird?” Agatha asked as she parked her car near the coffee shop.
“Absolutely not,” Wanda said from the passenger seat, grinning mischievously. “It’s genius. You want to run into her, right? This way, it’s totally natural. You just happen to be here.”
“Right,” Agatha murmured, her nerves buzzing. “Totally natural. Because nothing says ‘normal’ like bringing backup to a coffee shop.”
“Hey, you didn’t want to look desperate,” Wanda teased, unbuckling her seat belt. “And desperate is wandering into a coffee shop alone, hoping to ‘accidentally’ bump into someone. So here I am, your totally normal coffee-drinking companion.”
Agatha sighed, grabbing her bag as they stepped out of the car. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Rio. She did. Their date had been better than she’d expected—so much so that she hadn’t stopped thinking about it since. But that was the problem.
“She’s so young, Wanda,” Agatha said as they walked toward the shop.
“Uh-oh,” Wanda said, holding the door open for her. “Here comes the overthinking.”
“I’m serious,” Agatha said, lowering her voice as they approached the counter. “It was a great date, don’t get me wrong. But she’s... young. She’s sarcastic and smart and fun, but—”
“But what?” Wanda interrupted, ordering their drinks before turning back to Agatha with a knowing look. “You think she can’t handle a woman with your distinguished experience?”
Agatha shot her a look, though her lips quirked up in a reluctant smile. “Don’t start.”
“Oh, I’m just saying,” Wanda continued as they found a table by the window. “Maybe you’re thinking too much. Maybe she doesn’t care about the age thing as much as you do. Or maybe she does and is just into the whole sugar mommy vibe.”
Agatha groaned, resting her head in her hands. “Don’t ever say that again.”
“I’m serious!” Wanda laughed, taking a sip of her coffee. “She probably thinks you’re sophisticated. Mysterious. Alluring. I bet she’s off somewhere right now, talking herself out of texting you because she’s too intimidated by your aura of cool.”
Agatha rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t help but laugh. “My ‘aura of cool’? Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Yes,” Wanda said matter-of-factly. “You’re the full package. Stop psyching yourself out.”
Agatha leaned back in her chair, stirring her coffee absently as Wanda’s words settled over her. Maybe she was overthinking it. The age gap was there, sure, but Rio hadn’t seemed to mind during the date. If anything, her sharp wit and boldness had made Agatha feel like she was the one who needed to keep up.
Her gaze drifted toward the street as she sipped her coffee, wondering—hoping—that Rio might walk through the door.
“Okay,” Wanda said, setting her cup down with a dramatic flourish. “Final verdict: do you want to see her again?”
Agatha hesitated for only a moment before nodding. “I do. But…”
“But?” Wanda prompted.
“But I’m not going to chase her down,” Agatha said firmly, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “If she’s interested, she’ll reach out. And if not, well, then I’ll know where we stand.”
Wanda gave her a long look before leaning back with a smirk. “You’re so full of it. You came here hoping she’d show up.”
Agatha’s lips twitched, but she didn’t deny it. Instead, she lifted her cup and took a slow sip, letting Wanda’s teasing wash over her.
After finishing her drink, Agatha stood and grabbed her bag. “I’ll be right back. Don’t get us kicked out or start hexing anyone while I’m gone.”
Wanda waved her off with a smirk. “I make no promises.”
Agatha gave her a pointed look before heading to the restroom, leaving her phone on the table next to Wanda.
As soon as Agatha disappeared, Wanda’s grin turned downright mischievous. She reached for the phone, unlocking it with ease. Of course Agatha’s password was 1693—a not-so-subtle nod to her Salem Witch Trials obsession.
“Honestly, Agatha, you make this too easy,” Wanda muttered under her breath as she navigated to the messages app.
She found Rio’s number easily enough, saved under the name Ms. Sarcasm. Wanda snorted at the nickname and quickly typed out a message.
Hey, I’ve been thinking about our date. Would love to see you again. Maybe grab coffee or dinner soon?
Satisfied with the wording, she hit send and watched the message deliver.
Wanda grinned, deleting the message thread immediately so there was no trace of her meddling. She locked the phone and set it back on the table, picking up her coffee as if nothing had happened.
When Agatha returned, she eyed Wanda suspiciously. “What’s that look for?”
“What look?” Wanda asked innocently, sipping her drink.
“The look that says you’ve done something I’ll regret finding out about later,” Agatha said, narrowing her eyes.
Wanda shrugged, her expression perfectly serene. “Me? I’m just sitting here, enjoying my coffee like a model citizen.”
Agatha didn’t buy it, but she shook her head and let it go, settling back into her seat.
Meanwhile, across town, Rio’s phone buzzed with a message she never expected to see. She hesitated for a long moment before unlocking it and reading the text. Her heart skipped, a mix of confusion and hope twisting in her chest.
“Maybe she’s just as bad at waiting as I am,” Rio muttered, staring at the screen with a small, hesitant smile.