The next morning, Grace woke to a dull ache that still lingered from the flare-up the day before. She lay in bed for a moment, her eyes tracing the patterns of light filtering through the curtains. Max was already awake, curled up on the floor beside her, his ears twitching as he dreamed.

She reached for her phone on the bedside table, checking the time. It was late—closer to mid-morning than she'd usually let herself sleep in. But after the exhaustion of the day before, she didn't feel guilty about giving her body the rest it needed. Carefully, she sat up, wincing at the stiffness in her back and hips. Each movement was deliberate, slow, as she tested the limits of what her body would allow today.

Max woke with a yawn and padded over, resting his head on the edge of the bed. Grace reached down to scratch behind his ears. "Morning, buddy. Ready for another thrilling day of me being useless?" she muttered, managing a wry smile.

The morning routine was slower than usual. Grace made her way to the kitchen, leaning heavily on the counters as she prepared a simple breakfast. Max stayed close, his tail wagging softly as if sensing her need for quiet companionship. She'd planned to catch up on some work today, maybe finish inventory for the bookstore, but her body's protests made it clear that even sitting upright for too long might be pushing it.

After eating, she settled onto the couch with a book, Max stretched out beside her. The Christmas tree lights were still on from the night before, their gentle glow filling the room with warmth. Grace let herself get lost in the pages, the story a welcome distraction from the discomfort that clung to her like a shadow.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, breaking the quiet. She glanced at the screen and froze, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Charlotte's name. For a moment, she considered letting it go to voicemail. But curiosity—and something she couldn't quite name—made her reach for it.

"Hello?" she said, her voice tentative.

"Hi, Grace," Charlotte's voice came through, warm and slightly hesitant. "I hope I'm not bothering you."

"No, not at all," Grace said quickly, sitting up a little straighter despite the protest from her muscles. "What's up?"

There was a pause, and Grace could hear the faint hum of background noise on Charlotte's end. "I just... I wanted to thank you for the other day. At the shop. It was nice talking to you."

Grace's lips quirked into a small smile. "You don't have to thank me for that. It was nice talking to you, too."

"Well, I enjoyed it," Charlotte said, her tone lighter now. "And, um, I was wondering if you might want to get coffee sometime? If you're up for it. No pressure, of course."

Grace's heart fluttered unexpectedly, the question catching her off guard. "Coffee sounds nice," she said after a moment, keeping her voice steady. "I'd like that."

"Great," Charlotte said, relief evident in her voice. "Maybe later this week? Whenever you're free."

Grace hesitated, glancing down at Max, who was watching her with his head tilted as if he knew something important was happening. "Let me check my schedule and get back to you?" she said finally.

"Of course," Charlotte said. "No rush. Just let me know."

"I will," Grace promised. "Thanks for calling, Charlotte."

"Thanks for answering," Charlotte said, her tone soft. "I'll talk to you soon."

When the call ended, Grace set her phone down, her thoughts swirling. She'd expected the day to be uneventful, a slow recovery from the flare-up that had knocked her off balance. Instead, Charlotte had slipped into her day, brightening it in a way Grace hadn't anticipated.

Max nudged her hand, breaking her reverie. She scratched his ears absentmindedly, her mind still on the call. Coffee with Charlotte. The thought filled her with equal parts excitement and nervousness. But as she leaned back into the couch, the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights wrapping around her, she found herself smiling. Maybe this week wouldn't be so bad after all.