Chapter 397
Chapter 397:
About a month ago, Alma had been wearing the watch while skiing when a bad fall sent her crashing to the ground. The watch had taken the full impact. She had spent weeks trying to correct the error herself at home, but that stubborn 0.1-second deviation simply refused to disappear. It was a small fault — technically insignificant — but it gnawed at her.
Kristine studied the watch. “What did you try p>
“I replaced the internal components — nothing. I cleaned and oiled every part — still nothing. I even swapped out the balance wheel. It won’t budge p>
Kristine turned it over once more in her hands. “I’ll need my tools to be certain. If you trust me with it, I can take it home and work out what’s wrong p>
“Of course I trust you,” Alma said without a moment’s hesitation. She pulled out her phone. “Let’s exchange numbers p>
Kristine agreed, and they added each other. Alma looped her arm through Kristine’s and turned back toward the restaurant. “Come on, let’s go back in p>
Kristine hesitated. “Before we do — you and Asher p>
Alma looked surprised. “He never told you about me p>
Kristine shook her head.
L𝗮𝘁e𝗌𝘁 𝘤h𝖺р𝗍е𝘳𝗌 𝘰ո.со𝗆
Alma laughed, bright and unbothered. “Well, that means I still have a chance p>
“A chance?” Kristine repeated, uncertain.
“I thought you two were close enough that he told you everything. I’ll be honest, that worried me a little. But if he hasn’t mentioned me, it means things between you aren’t that serious yet — which means I can still make my move.” She said it with such easy confidence that it was impossible to take offense.
Kristine pressed her fingers to her temple. “Miss Ford, you’ve misread the situation. Asher and I aren’t together p>
“I know,” Alma said, patting her arm. “You’re in that in-between stage — not quite a couple, not quite not. Just listen to me, one woman to another: don’t rush it. Don’t say yes too quickly. I’m telling you this for your sake as much as mine. The best part of falling for someone is before you’re official — that uncertainty, that tension. Once you’re a confirmed couple, the magic of it is already behind you p>
Alma’s words settled over Kristine quietly, stirring something she hadn’t expected.
She and Colton had never had that stage. There had been no delicious uncertainty, no gentle back-and-forth. There had only been her — reaching, chasing, trying — for what felt like forever. And when they were finally together, he had always drifted back to Elyse, leaving Kristine to piece herself back together each time.
Looking back now, the only stretch of that entire relationship that had held any real warmth was the beginning — those early days of simply hoping. And even that had only ever been on her side.
A voice cut through her thoughts.
“Well, look at that. We meet again p>
Kristine looked up. A man was walking toward her across the parking lot.
Kristine recognized him the instant she saw his face — the same courteous stranger who had held the door open for her. He looked so much like Colton that his features had been impossible to shake from her memory.
The man turned toward Alma and said her name in a soft, almost tender voice.
Kristine went still.