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“Um . . .” Cass froze, his mind working overtime to play catch-up. He looked down at where Joe still held his hand and then lifted his eyes to meet Joe’s gaze.

“Cass? She’s okay, right?” Joe asked, worry flickering in his tone.

Quickly, Cass shook himself. “Yeah. Yeah, she’s fine. Sorry. Um. Here, let’s go.” He released Joe’s hand and reached up behind him to hold the door. “After you.”

Joe hesitated for a moment but then stepped into the café ahead of Cass. Cass followed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. A server greeted them and told them to have their pick of the open tables, and Cass was thankful when Joe led them to one of the tables farthest from the door, in a quiet spot in the corner.

And as he always had every single time they’d been out together, Joe stepped up ahead of him and pulled out his chair. Only this time, it almost made Cass sad. He paused, his hands still shoved in his pockets, and he stared at the chair for a moment. Then he blinked slowly and swallowed.

“Thanks.”

“Sure.” Joe’s hand found Cass’s back and gently encouraged him forward. “Here, have a seat, and then you can tell me why you look like your dog just ran away.”

That brought a weak smile to Cass’s face, and he shook his head with a sigh. “Sorry, I’m feeling a little off today. That’s all.” He grimaced. “Kind of. I mean . . .”

“It’s okay,” Joe said, and his tone was nonchalant in a way but also almost slightly standoffish, which Cass hadn’t really heard from him before. “I think I know what’s going on, and I’ve been expecting it, I guess.”

Cass’s stomach dropped, and he bit his bottom lip as he looked up. Joe still had a smile on his face, but it was strained now, and the man blinked and lowered his eyes as though unable to hold Cass’s gaze. His hand fell away from Cass’s back.

“Joe, I—” Cass stopped himself, unsure of what he’d been about to say.

But Joe just let out a quiet laugh and shook his head. “It’s all good, really. I mean . . .” Joe sighed. “Let’s sit, order some food, and we can talk?”

Cass’s stomach was still in knots, and he wasn’t sure whether he’d be able to eat, but he nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

They both sat, and when a server came over a moment later, Joe ordered his usual huge breakfast, laughing that he needed all the calories after the ten-mile run he’d finished earlier that morning. Cass only ordered a coffee and a plain cheese omelet, and with his stomach how it was, even that sounded like too much. When the server left, Joe leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest as he blew out a breath.

“Alright, I’m gonna summarize, and you just tell me if I’m right. How does that sound?” Joe’s voice had that light tease back in it now, which probably should have made Cass feel better, but it didn’t.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “This shouldn’t all be on you,” he argued quietly.

Joe laughed. “I know. That’s not how I’m thinking about it, I promise. And actually, it would be dishonest of me if I were to just try to convince you everything’s fine and peachy.”

Cass frowned and looked up over the table at Joe. “You’re . . . not happy?”

The server chose that moment to stop back by with their coffees, and Joe thanked them and took a long sip from his mug before answering.

“Let’s see if I can explain,” he started, setting his mug down. “I actually am happy, honestly. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you, and I think we’ve had a lot of good times together. You’re an amazing person, Cass, and I really like you. I think you know that.” He paused and dropped his eyes to his coffee. “But I think there’s something missing. There’s no . . . spark? Maybe that sounds a bit juvenile, and maybe it would develop with more time, but . . .” Joe trailed off and shrugged, then lifted his eyes to Cass with a half smile. “Does that sound about right for you too?”

“I could have said the exact same words, actually,” Cass admitted, forcing himself to hold Joe’s gaze. “I’ve been trying to get up the courage to tell you. You’ve been such a great friend.”

“But it’s kinda . . .”

“. . . bland?”

Joe muffled a laugh and nodded. “Exactly. I mean, I don’t need fireworks. Those are way overrated. But, I dunno, something would have been nice.”

Relieved, Cass chuckled and nodded back. Then he dropped his eyes to his coffee. “I should’ve said something a while ago.”

“Nah, it’s cool. We had a good time, right? I mean, I did. And hey, you’re a great friend. Honestly, a good friendship is just as valuable a thing, to me.”

“Yeah, for sure.” Cass smiled and looked back up. “Thank you.”

Joe shrugged and then blinked and glanced down again. Any remaining awkwardness slowly faded when their food came, and their comfortable, easy banter returned over the rest of breakfast. When the check came, Cass insisted on paying, and he was glad when Joe didn’t really argue.

Outside, the two walked a few feet away from the entrance and then stopped. Cass stuffed his hands into his pockets and blew out a breath.

“So, uh, which one of us is going to break the news to Matty?” he said, giving Joe a crooked half smile.