Ethan's POV
I pushed open the door to the café at precisely 6 PM, scanning the room like some desperate fool looking for his lost puppy. No Stella. The place buzzed with the usual after-work crowd, but none of them were the gorgeous ones who'd been occupying my thoughts all day.
"Table for one?" The hostess appeared beside me, menu in hand.
"Uh, two, actually." I cleared my throat. "I'm meeting someone."
She led me to a corner table with a perfect view of both entrances. Clever girl - now I could spot Stella coming from either direction. Not that I was obsessing or anything.
I checked my phone. 6:02 PM. Fashionably late was still a thing, right?
The waitress approached with her notepad. "Can I get you started with something?"
"Just water for now. I'm waiting for someone."
"Of cours
