Sarah had claimed the corner table at Brew & Mortar, her sanctuary for the past three years spreading blueprints across the scarred wooden surface while nursing her usual oat milk latte.

The coffee shop sat halfway between her office and the construction site, making it the perfect refuge when she needed to think without the constant interruptions of her studio.

She was annotating structural concerns on the cultural center plans when a shadow fell across her table.

“Sarah?”

She looked ...