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Everyone relaxes with their drink—beer or wine, depending on preference—while looking out across the cityscape of San Francisco. The city’s silhouetted against a tapestry of pink skies streaked with fire red and umber orange. With night approaching, shimmering lights appear here and there in the buildings as people flick on the lights.
A cool breeze blows in from the Bay, sweeping away the heat of the day. Overhead, there are enough clouds to make the sunset truly spectacular without blocking it completely.
Barbi lights up a gas-fed fire pit, along with several heating towers, to push back the chill of the night as it rushes in. People gather around the fire pit, laughing, joking, having fun.
Kaye hangs back from the others, standing near the edge of the roof. She stares outward, scanning the skyline, brows tugged tight as if in deep thought. The last light of the setting sun highlights her angelic features, bathing her in a golden glow.
Damn, but she takes my breath away.
Knowing I’m going to get shit from the guys, and not caring one damn bit, I cross the distance to stand by her side.
“Hey.” I nudge her with my shoulder.
It’s a friendly touch, an incursion into her personal space, and a test. If she pulls away, I need to reevaluate. If she leans into me, I’ll continue exploring where this night might take us.
“Hey.” She doesn’t pull away, but neither does she lean into me. It’s noncommittal which means I need to step up my game.
“Still thinking about the package Scott sent?” I normally wouldn’t bring up an ex’s name in conversation, but she’s clearly rattled by the way things are escalating.
“I am.” She turns to me, brows furrowed, lips pressed into a tight line. “Do you believe he’s dangerous? Is this something I need to be worried about?”
“Not knowing much about your relationship, that’s hard to say one way or the other, but those texts concern me and the box speaks for itself.”
“I don’t know what to do.” She hugs her arms, staving off the chilly night. “Do I call him? Ignore him?”
“Calling him will only give him an opportunity to…”
“Undermine my decision to break up with him.” She finishes my sentence, showing healthy insight.
I like that about a woman. Kaye’s a thinker.
“That’s what my head tells me. Stand strong. Be resolute. But not talking to him…” Her voice cracks. She holds up her phone and scrolls through his texts. “Not talking to him isn’t making things any better. It’s making things worse. I don’t know what to do.”
Her personal insight only serves to intrigue me further. She’s a remarkable individual.
An unexpected, but welcome, warmth courses through my veins as I look upon Kaye. I can almost block out everyone else on the roof, and forget they’re here.
“In cases like this, it’s best not to engage.” It’s the best advice, but hardest to follow.
That electrical charge from before is stronger than ever. Too strong to ignore. But what do I do with it when she’s clearly navigating the nasty waters of a disastrous breakup?
We stand side by side, staring out at the city lights while I ponder my next move.
She takes a sip of wine while I drink my beer. Before I overthink things too much, I reach down and take her hand in mine. She doesn’t withdraw from my touch and allows me to interlace our fingers.
She looks at me with tenderness layered with a bit of fear, but doesn’t pull away. Encouraged by this, I run the pad of my thumb over her knuckles and do the last thing I want to do.
I ask about Scott.
“Tell me about Scott. What happened that made him angry?”
I’m drawn to her like a magnet and can’t help but reach up to lightly brush a strand of hair from her face. My thumb lingers on the softness of her cheek. It’s merely a moment in time, yet feels incredibly profound. I sweep the loose strand of hair off her face, tucking the wayward lock behind her ear.
Our gazes collide and tangle together. In that moment all is quiet around us, as if time stands still. Neither of us speaks, or moves, unwilling to break the spell. But finally Kaye looks away.
She gazes out over the city, and when the moon peeks out behind the clouds, it bathes her face in ethereal glory. Silence descends between us, but rather than being awkward, it feels welcome. We’re growing comfortable with each other more quickly than most would consider typical.
But eventually, Kaye breaks the silence. She takes in a deep breath and tells me about her relationship with Scott from its beginnings to its current state.
