she saw him, it

holding a paper cup of coffee like he'd been waiting for her. Maybe he had. May

gh it was drizzly outside, she never skipped any lunch breaks. Not necessarily

atly, stepping away from

n't a surprise. Like this was exact

r in mock greeting. "Expected you

a brow. "

ut well, first time I saw you was a "less than one star"

mood for witty

think you

him and rolled

calm but sharp. "Do you ever let people know what yo

ugh her nose. "Depe

t do I c

dable look. "A stranger wi

m just in

work that stresses us out; we don't have t

e continued as she stopped i

head. "You alway

ed the rig

defensive.

it: she didn't say things to impress.

iked

n he sho

oying the banter with Rodney, she didn't let

her past. Every time he asked something personal, she d

ook," Rodney sai

t lo

y've survived something and

ak like you know ev

odney stop in his tracks. But

rgent to speak to Daphne. Her assistant, Greta although skeptical gave Rodney Daphne's personal phone number. When Daphne c

ding. Please allow m

ssage. It had been almost two years since her

was quiet. Warm. Dark wood and dim lighting

iskey. Daphne got

. "You don't drink arou

her glass. "I don't drink around

led. "

long silence

ith deliberate focus, her pos

lax?" Rodney

s me re

ieve that fo

ession unreadable. "Why

"Because you don't flinch. And that m

ers curled ar

the beginning of a

ed. "Or a

should know-I don't d

N

ble. Measurabl

htly, voice lower now. "An

pa

tood, picking

done

nds up in surrender.

"You hit the wal

he rain ha

o the curb. "Let me w

parked

me call

call

push. Ju

is," she said, tur

at w

ng pat

ded a bit. "Maybe

a long, almos

o the back of a blac

say g

couldn't stop thinking

't desperate for access. Maybe it was the way he looked at her

it was, i

to get her bagels during lunch. Lingering when she lay in bed that night, e

re if she wan

she did not need

ard meeting that she regretted joining. She didn't have time to entertain me

checked her p

e looked at her in that jazz

to impress her.

udied

was the

rself into something people couldn't touch.

d with sm

t the same table they'd once shared. She didn't expect him

little softer. None of it deliberate-just reflexes. As if

hread. Just two messages. Dry, functional.

reach out. She

er, she ra

era

one hand, a legal thriller in the other-wh

e her drink could spill. "I t

e softened. "Are you stalking

o grab a drink and discuss whether the cross-examination

e hes

hook h

ve a

argue. "Anot

to walk away

ink," s

quite reach his

t rooftop bar. Low

sest to the edge. She lik

not about anythi

e told him about a trial where a client burst into tears mid-testimony; he told

ht?" she asked, s

with a j

a smirk. "So you

er reso

t him for a

e still hidi

't flinch.

, the tension slipping into so

vator, Rodney didn't reach for h

people in eas

N

ever go

oked a

t second, her

eno

en't d

ed closer. N

h for her to fee

he said, "I'll

d followed after. No one said anything as they went down. As they steppe

u some other time." She said as

an she meant to. Sapphire was feeli

ility.

know what t

locked

didn't have t

name to protect, and a futu

next morning with a single message-"C

ed withou

d yo

ow, that

ll sta

time, it had som