reau had

memory. Meet. Charm. Connect. Leave before things become complicate

o line up in his head

ng his teeth. His phone buzzed on the sink, vibrating i

er think

need to open the message

ai

ppear into the drain. He didn't think about them. That was the point. Thinking

ed in his mind as he dres

ement, delivery trucks blocking narrow streets. Life moved quickly in d

tings. He skimmed it, nodded, and settled into his role. Creative

place his system

cross the table met his eyes for half a second longer than necessary. Julien

it didn

aviness followed him. It felt like unfinished sentences, l

adn't touched in years. He didn't know why. Maybe it was bo

eared on

is

mi

i

ph

ets with under the illusion of something more. Women who had belie

scrolle

essages at first-jus

we t

erstand wha

t disappear

est ti

ld himself. He had warned them

ning to realize that hones

ty of words-and the

the night, listened to childhood stories, and held hands in public

in his chair, eye

it just carelessness

al spot near the office. Thomas had known Julie

omas said after stud

p much," Jul

an eyebrow.

face ripple. "Do you think people can misun

people hear what they want whe

if you know that, do you st

unds like someone's con

didn't

walking back to the office,

w me

Cl

I was worried I had imagi

mé

e it

na

e Lau

of the others. There was no rush of excit

yped. I don't usually tal

she replied. B

en p

something. Not because he was trying to

zation uns

ng into gold. Julien found himself walking past the bookstore without planning to.

re longer th

and now existed only as fragments. He wondered how many women re

o loved

slowed down enough

buzzed o

er regret

mé

e message as the ci

oided. Regret implied l

ed car

't kn

ppeared. The

her rep

n honest

pocket and continued walking, the

didn't feel powerful

lt ex

who refused to rush him, Julien Moreau began to understan

mething they fell aw