Stranger's Promise

PTE

t sleep muc

idn't quite fit a stranger loitering in the rain. That line: "I didn't think I

eird, fleeting blip in an otherwise uneventful week. People passed

twice at every tall man on the str

into the glossy, marble-floored lobby of Lennox

eptionist, standing. "Mr.

om like she owned it-even if her stomach flipped. Lennox was a high-end developer. Big m

of the table. "We've been following your

hen you'll love what I've designed

entation: mood boards, materials, color schemes. She bar

eyes snagg

wall. Same dark hair, slightly

ia

was in a tailored black sweater an

falt

is Elias Black. He'll be overseein

verseeing-as in

he estate's been empty for years.

tightened. "We'

. Just nodded once

r focus, but inside, everything spun. She hadn't imagin

calm. He didn't say anything. Just waited until th

on you were an in

security ghost for luxury est

hed-maybe a sm

in the rain staring

the view is

red it with a dry laugh. "You h

n't fl

her eyes l

gaze. Sile

n the table-her sketchbook, whi

d brush

from the touch-b

, raw, old. Like he'd fought things you couldn't see. Or maybe

d back. "What happ

hen slowly closed hi

ived,"

etails. No invi

y. "Well. Let's ke

cour

leave, she felt

he type who

ilence sa