Chapter 4 - Helen

Copilot rates my book an 88/100 with excellent voice and tone, but some pacing and minor structure issues. Grok rates it a 78. Similar general comments, but he couldn't keep the chapters straight.

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I grimace as I confuse my body with another sip of Starbucks Venti Americano, inwardly cursing myself for buying twenty ounces of this garbage. Katherine laughs at the undoubtedly dramatic look on my face.

“I always forget how unforgettably terrible Starbucks coffee is,” I say as soon as she’s quiet. “Somehow it’s both sour and bitter,” I add, justifying an already undeniable position.

“Why’d you suggest we meet here, then?” she asks over the rim of her laptop.

This is actually one of the best dates I’ve ever been on. Kat used to be a law office secretary in another life, so she’s no stranger to going out for working lunches, or dating professional men.

”You must have made me forget with your trademark thoughtfulness and understanding!” I say, smirking as I take her hand. “What can I say? Working dates are the way to my heart.”

“Careful,” she taunts. “Get too romantic and I might think you like me.”

When Kat heard how stressed I was about my oppressive workload, she immediately pivoted: coffee shop, laptops. We planned a working date instead of whatever dumb regular date we were going to plan.

Now we’re stopping every few minutes to make out between sentences, right in the middle of Starbucks. Like teenagers. Beats ordering another of these shitty coffees.

I’m being dramatic. The Americano is fine. At least it’s warm. This isn’t my part of town, but I’ve been to this Starbucks before on another date. Probably kissed another girl at this exact table. So it was the first place that came to mind.