Chapter 243

• woke early, sunlight slipping between the blinds and touching the floor in thin, golden stripes. The quiet in the apartment felt almost sacred. I drank my coffee slowly, listening to Julian stirring in the kitchen.
• “You’re nervous,” he said, appearing in the doorway with his cup in hand. His voice was calm, steady, the way it always pulled me back when my mind raced.
• “I’m not sure I’m nervous,” I said, trying to sound confident. “I just… want it to feel right.”