Chapter 36

Nicole sat at a cafe, swirling her drink around in her glass. She was lost in thought, thinking about her past and how it had brought her to this moment. Garrett's words from the day before gave her a lot to think about. He didn't know it, but his words were exactly what she needed to hear. So she decided to take things into her own hands and come out of her thoughts. She dressed up nicely and found a cafe where she was currently seated. It felt good to just sit and plan for her future. She decided that she wanted more out of life, especially after all she had been through. Nicole was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Garrett approaching her until he spoke. "Hey there," he said, taking a seat next to her. "You look like you could use a friend." Nicole looked up, surprised by the sudden interruption. She took in Garrett's appearance, noticing his warm smile and friendly eyes. She couldn't help but be happy with him. She tried to hide it by wrinkling her nose. She knew