bel

saw Noah was ne

whole "mystery-man-in-the-rain" introduction. There's just something about st

staring down a bag of oranges like it had personally offended him. I

" he

s who passed each other at the grocery store on a regular ba

y hair behind my ear like a seventh grader at a

don't usually

r the register. It was pas

both branchin

t close to one, which was something looser than his usual expre

me by saying, "You'r

ked. "

he hadn't meant to say t

he others... what? Tourists?

t laugh, surpris

're... predictable an

o basically, I'm

re was a flicker of something in his eye

bad thing

d slowly. "It's

ance over at him as he reached for coffee beans. I tried not to imagine his kitchen.

had too many bags and no plan for how t

aching for the heavier o

ant to interrupt you

hed. "This is m

ing my groceries was probably going to ruin my ability

, but not awkward. When we reac

I said. "For tea or som

is jaw tensed, his head tiltin

want to

ceries. The threshold h

ut then he nodded once

*

was leftovers from yesterday's cleaning spree. I toss

want. I'll

yed st

to feel like a host on a first date. This wasn't a date. Th

e asked, his voice

s that not allowed

ust...

Do you always ask your neighbors personal qu

ve carried th

my nerves were still do

istle. I grabbed two mis

, right?"

he armrest of the couch, leaving enough space for

ike it was warmer

ts you," he sai

kes you

e's still something..

a poetic way of ca

n't strike me as someone w

a. "Maybe I'm t

hy

me and chewed me up and I

say that

ow and said, "Because standing

ned to the wind shake the trees. I'd for

ed. It was just a quick, bare skin on skin contact, bu

ck immediately, li

up, and s

n, that one tbat made me feel like I

," I m

e said quickly

back. "I

ould be a normal tea and cookies situati

"Thanks again.

to the door. Then he paused

ite," h

d

oo

hen h