Kelly's eyes locked on the figure outside. It was Margaret Chen, a courthouse administrator who worked in the same building where Kelly filed her motions. Margaret moved with purpose, her gaze sweeping across the storefronts as if searching for something—or someone.

James didn't notice yet. He was still leaning forward, waiting for Kelly's response, his expression carrying that dangerous combination of hope and resignation that made her chest ache. Kelly forced herself to breathe normally, to keep her hands steady around the coffee cup.

Margaret paused at the window of the insurance office next door, pretending to look at something posted there. But Auburn was a small city, and courthouse people noticed other courthouse people. Margaret knew Kelly's face, knew James's face. The proximity of two prosecutors and a defense attorney meeting in secret was exactly the kind of detail that would spark questions.

Kelly's mind raced through the scenarios. If Margaret saw them together, if word spread through the courthouse, it wouldn't take long for someone to connect the dots. An affair between opposing counsel on an active case wasn't just unethical—it was catastrophic. It would taint everything, give James's supervisors exactly what they needed to discredit him, to undermine Kelly's credibility, to ensure her clients stayed exactly where they were.

She reached across the table and briefly touched James's wrist, a gesture so small it would be invisible to anyone watching from outside. His eyes sharpened immediately, reading the sudden tension in her body.

James turned slightly, following the direction of her gaze. Kelly watched his jaw tighten as he recognized Margaret. For a moment, he went very still—the prosecutor's mask slipping away to reveal the man underneath, the one who understood exactly what Margaret's presence here meant.

Margaret turned from the window, her eyes scanning the street. In a few seconds, her gaze would sweep across the coffee shop. In a few seconds, she might see them.

James began to move, the decision made. He stood slowly, deliberately, turning his back to the window as if he'd simply finished his coffee. Kelly watched him, her heart hammering against her ribs. The careful distance they'd maintained, the precautions they'd taken—all of it suddenly felt fragile and insufficient.