Amelia woke to the smell of coffee.
Not the distant, imagined kind—real, close, coming from somewhere inside the house.
She sat up slowly, disoriented. This wasn't her room. This wasn't her bed.
Then she remembered.
The wedding. The reception. Ethan driving her to his house—their house, he'd said—while she stared out the window and refused to speak.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the door. It was slightly ajar. She hadn't left it that way.
She pushed it open and followed the scent downstairs.
Ethan stood in the kitchen, his back to her, pouring coffee into two mugs. He wore a gray sweater, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. No shoes. He looked almost normal.
"You're awake," he said without turning.
"You left my door open."
"You left it unlocked. I was checking on you."
"Don't."
He turned, holding out a mug. "Don't check on you, or don't tell you about it?"
"Either."
He set the mug on the counter between them. "Drink. You didn't eat yesterday."
Amelia looked at the mug. Then at him. "Why do you care?"
Ethan leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "Because you're my wife."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're going to get right now."
She wanted to argue. Wanted to throw the mug at the wall and walk out.
Instead, she picked it up and took a sip.
It was perfect. Black. One sugar. Exactly how she took it.
She lowered the mug. "How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"How I take my coffee."
Ethan's expression didn't change. "I pay attention."
"That's not—"
"Amelia." He pushed off the counter and walked toward her, stopping close enough that she had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes. "I've been watching you for three years. I know how you take your coffee. I know you bite your lip when you're nervous. I know you can't sleep in complete silence, so you leave the fan on even in winter. I know you talk to yourself when you think no one's listening."
Her hands trembled around the mug. "That's not romantic. That's terrifying."
"I know." His voice softened. "But it's also true. And one day you'll understand why."
"When?"
"Soon."
He turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the kitchen with a perfect cup of coffee and a heart full and bubbling with fear.