Chapter 19 The Last Coffee 2
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Chapter 19: The Last Coffee-2
He shouldn’t be here.
How did he even know where she lived?
“Maya!” he called, like they were old friends meeting by chance on a morning stroll. “Good
morning!”
She hesitated, brows drawing together.
“Dr. Beckett?” Her body tensed. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled-wide, warm, practiced.
“I hope I didn’t scare you,” he said quickly, hands raised in a calming gesture. “I just… wanted to see you before I go.”
“Go?” she echoed.
“I’m leaving tonight,” he said, voice low and slightly breathless, like this conversation mattered deeply. “Director picked me for this year’s outreach program. Humanitarian rotation. I’ll be gone for months – maybe a year. Rural placement. So… we won’t be seeing each other again.” He gave a sheepish shrug. “So… this is goodbye.”
She blinked, unsure what to say.
“I just…” Beckett scratched the back of his neck, playing at humble. “Before I leave, I wanted to ask
–
– one last time. Just coffee. Fifteen minutes. As friends.”
Her lips parted. She didn’t know what to say.
“I know you’re not interested. I get it,” he said quickly. “You’ve got a lot on your plate – your brother, your internship, classes. I’m not trying to pressure you, I promise. I just thought… maybe we could talk. No pressure. Just two people getting coffee. No strings. Closure, maybe?”
He glanced toward the sky, then back at her with a sheepish smile. “Besides, if you’re heading to work… we could go to the café near your office? You won’t be late. I’ll drop you off right after.”
Maya hesitated.
Something about it felt… off.
But his tone was soft. His expression, disarming. And it was daylight. Public. Near her workplace. Her gut whispered no. But she was tired. He was leaving. And fifteen minutes wasn’t a lifetime.
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19 The Last Coffee 2
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And maybe – maybe it was her exhaustion, or the weight of too many sleepless nights, or the fact that she was so used to putting others first that she couldn’t bring herself to say no – but she
nodded.
“Okay,” she said quietly. “Fifteen minutes.”
Beckett’s smile widened. Too much.
“Perfect,” he said, too smoothly. “You won’t regret it.”
He opened the passenger door for her like a gentleman.
As soon as she slid inside, he closed the door gently behind her – too gently.
But when he turned away, his expression changed. This time, there was no softness in it.
His eyes darkened.
His lips curved into something twisted.
Not kind. Not friendly.
Only triumph. And malice.
Because Maya had just made a mistake.
One she wouldn’t realize… until it was far too late.
Inside the car, Maya fidgeted with the strap of her bag, her fingers lightly trembling. She told herself it was nothing. Just nerves. She hadn’t slept. She hadn’t eaten. That was all.
But as the engine purred and Beckett slid into the driver’s seat beside her, something inside her
refused to settle.
He didn’t speak right away. Just started the car and merged onto the quiet street, one hand on the wheel, the other resting too casually near the gearshift.
“I’m glad you agreed,” he said after a moment. His voice was smooth. Practiced. “I wasn’t sure you
would.”
Maya forced a polite smile. “You caught me on a tired morning, I guess.”
He chuckled lightly, but something about it grated against her. “Well, I’ll make it worth your while. Promise.”
She gave a faint nod, staring out the window, trying to focus on anything but the tension coiling in her stomach.
“So,” Beckett said casually, like they were two friends on a morning drive, “where is it you’re
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Chapter 19 The Last Coffee 2
interning again?”
“Blackwood Enterprises,” she said, carefully.
That got a reaction.
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It was subtle – the way his grip tightened slightly on the wheel. The faint twitch at the corner of his
mouth. But it was there.
“Oh,” he said. “That’s… impressive.” His tone was unreadable. “Didn’t realize you were one of those interns. Isn’t that, like, top-tier?”
Maya gave a soft shrug, not liking the edge in his voice.
“It’s just an internship.”
“Right.” He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Just curious. Wouldn’t want to drop you off at the wrong building.”
She nodded again, unease crawling higher up her spine.
Something in the way he said “drop you off” scratched at the edge of her nerves.
She turned to glance out the window. The city passed in soft morning colors – gray buildings, sleepy sidewalks, a few early joggers weaving past storefronts.
This road doesn’t lead to my office.
The thought crept into her mind quietly, like a whisper she didn’t want to hear.
She glanced at the dashboard. No GPS.
Then the mirror.
Then him.
“Um… Dr. Beckett?” she asked, gently. “You said the café near my work, right?”
“Oh, I know a better one,” he said smoothly, his eyes still on the road. “Less crowded. You’ll love it.”
She hesitated.
“Don’t worry,” he added, his voice warm. “We’ll still make it in time. I wouldn’t let you be late, Maya.”
Her name in his mouth felt wrong.
Like something sacred was being handled with bloodied hands.
Something’s wrong.
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.