Love in the Storm

d refused to leave. Rita Thompson hated it. The white-washed halls, the quiet murmurs of nurses, the way docto

to chemo. She missed it-not just the strands themselves, but the way they used to fall into her eyes, the way she used to run her fi

sco Elite. She was always more concerned with appearances than emotions. Even now, her perfectly manicured nails tapped impatien

led. She

before anyone could stop her. She climbed, heart pounding, her legs weaker than they should be.

ying the salty scent of the bay. San Francisco stretched out before her i

t or som

un, st

nywhere but here-dark tousled hair, tired eyes, a faded hoodie that had clearly seen better days. His jeans

same," Rita said, d

My little sister's in the hospit

, then softene

t?" he asked,

d out, got this look-pity mixed with awkwa

ke that," she

Just nodded, lik

inic, by

it

dded toward the sketchbook she had c

mitted, shifti

I s

rawings. Her mother certainly didn't. But Dominic

ng pages of charcoal sketches-faces caught in fl

low whistle. "Damn

up her neck

e sitting on a rooftop, staring at the city below. "This one

surprised. He

"I guess I just imagin

t his lips. "Maybe you

em, the city buzzed with life-car horns, laughter, music drifting f

indedly over the strings. A slow, melancholic tune fill

nt, letting the sound settle in

t's just someth

reply, but the rooftop d

! What the hell are

omach

e stormed toward them. Her perfectly styled hair didn't have a single st

tly in front of Rita, like he could

g some air," Rita

. Her gaze flicked to Dominic, taking him in with qui

er scrutiny. "Dominic Carter,

too well. Dismissive. Condescending. Like Dominic was

id coolly, "my daughter doesn'

hed her fi

ca snapped. "We'

between them. He didn't say anything, but she could

did. Did

grabbing his guit

at she could decide who she talked to. But the weight of Veronica's contr

d in slightly, voice low. "

he wa

ing, as the wind carried away

her's voice a distant hum in the background. Something inside her was

what was best for her. But standing here, in the linge

ife dictated by hospital appointments and her m

let herself wonder-what if