He Loved Her Too Late

Became His

hing else too, she stayed

nderstand this withou

the office felt

rang to

too hard agai

overlapped w

eyes fixed on her scree

least twenty times before falling asleep. Pretending that the

id that word to

at without

ping the edge lightly. "You're

linked.

r five m

a si

stubborn

y. "Is that what we'

hot her

e is n

y how it start

ould respond,

e never did. But somehow, his eye

or a s

long

e look

cted before her m

, Rowan stoppe

ands in his pockets, po

her screen. "I

d. "Walk

without

ll the same one where everythi

ut the memory settled between t

ay?" sh

ly. "I slept fo

plains t

t lo

rs are tense like you're ca

smile. "You're

patterns,"

ple

ween floors, the sound of foots

apologize,"

ed slightly

night,"

to leave things

gently. "You don'

. "But I don't li

," she repl

settled moving behind his eyes

id. "But they don't h

tween them, not unco

you somethi

ed. "Of

always so pat

nded heavier th

her words

heir own pace. And because..

. "I don't want t

quickly. "I'm exactly

er stayed

, they worked

sed back

s held a sec

rstanding fil

, Rowan stopped b

aving soon?

she said

eet," he said, voice careful. "I

t skippe

d gray, threatening rain. They walked side by side, clos

a lot,"

iving," Elira replied.

nd do yo

"The ones where nothing expl

ose are the ha

agreed. "Because

like old paper and dust. They wander

rom the shelf. "I tri

nd

't fini

hy

too close

. "Sometimes those are t

"they remind you of thi

make them disappea

refully. "No. It just m

ithout buyi

rain bega

ng of a closed café, rain

familiar,"

d at her.

et. You're almost

ugh. "I didn't realiz

she said. "Y

eful people hurt othe

less ones,"

ou're not afraid of

I am. I just don't l

ifted in his

ys, Rowan found hims

tentio

bsess

. natu

he break room. When she left ea

settl

ked out together again,

e office fee

surprised. "D

said. "Like

softly. "

ing. "That's no

rned.

what to do with that

o anything," she sai

ugh his hair. "Tha

hat st

ng som

ntle. "Needing i

u've spent yea

ul not to cross a line he

asn't made

her eye

pressed

he said

es

of me that aren

wh

one in," he s

ou don't have to

. "I don't know how to want s

ached at t

e to decide to

k you for not asking me

sm

or showing me

alone in his apartment

ed her

op

ete

d ag

Are y

ly came

ot in. Is eve

the screen,

I don

pa

you want

esit

I just wanted to k

ly came

a: I

ne down, breat

d at work to find Rowan alread

early,"

are

ked ne

ing happen?

d. "Can

skipped. "

tairwell again, the fam

t the wall, rubbing

ing I should te

eath caugh

r, eyes conflic

" he admitted. "But I know I

echoed a

was comi

, his expression closing of

e said quickl

e reappearing between th

ng, watching him retreat up th

me since she met him

about to say migh

now if he would