Alicia stepped inside and picked out a bottle of wine along with a few gifts for Mr. and Mrs. Firestone.
When she reached the counter to pay, the card machine suddenly stopped working. It wasn't entirely surprising—the store was just a small section tucked into the mall.
"Can I pay through my bank app?" Alicia asked.
The cashier nodded.
She took out her phone and powered it on. The moment the startup animation faded, a flood of notifications appeared.
Voicemails. Work emails. Messages from Alexander.
Ignoring the sudden tightness in her chest, Alicia completed the payment through PayPal. Then, almost against her better judgment, she opened her call log.
Dozens of missed calls from Alexander.
Her fingers hesitated before she opened his messages.
Alicia, where are you? I'll come pick you up.
I can explain the news.
I'm sorry.
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
Sorry. Always sorry.
