Let Them Kneel (kaelani and Julian) novel Chapter 63

Her voice softened, almost reverent, stars lighting up her eyes.

Kaelani smiled at her friend — not one of those fake smiles she’d been forcing for weeks, but something softer. Real. “Tess, that’s… beautiful.”

But as she listened to her friend gush about being cherished — touched with tenderness — a quiet thought drifted in.

What’s that like?

And then she felt it again — that dull ache curling low in her chest.

Because all she’d ever known was the animalistic kind.

Tessa leaned against the counter, sipping from a fresh cup of coffee. “Hey… do you know Michael?”

Kaelani looked up from her prep station. “Michael who?”

“You know, the one who works over at the pharmacy on Maple?”

Kaelani’s brow lifted. “Oh. Michael.” She nodded slowly, wiping her hands on a towel. “Yeah, I’ve seen him around. Tall, kind of quiet?”

Tessa grinned. “That’s the one. He’s Jeff’s cousin.”

“Really?”

“Yep. And apparently — he’s single.” Her tone turned playful. “And cute. I was thinking… maybe we could double date sometime?”

Kaelani let out a light laugh, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Oh, Tess. That’s sweet, but… no thank you.”

Tessa caught the subtle shift — the tight edge to her smile, the flicker of something tired behind her eyes. She didn’t press.

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