She pulls money from her purse and sets it on the table, sliding the sugar dispenser over it to keep it in place, then she slides on her coat and leaves.
Once outside, she stops in the doorway just under the overhang as the skies open with a soft rumble and the gentle rain spotting the window turns into an instant downpour.
Snow will be soaked to the bone before she makes it anywhere.
I rise and pay for my own meal, pocket my phone, and grab my coat.
The buttons slide into place just as I make it outside.
The pounding of the rain against the road seems to mask the sound of the door creaking as I exit, so Snow shows no signs of realizing I’m here.
“Snow?”
She jumps an inch in the air and whirls around, ponytail flying, and her eyes widen as she looks at me. “Oh, my God, Xander? You scared me!” She laughs and clutches at the collar of her coat to keep it closed.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. You’re fine. Crazy weather, right?” She winces and gazes behind her where the street is quickly turning into a river.
“Is it far to your car?” I ask, unfurling my umbrella.
Snow shakes her head. “I didn’t bring it. I walked.”
“Do you live far?”
She squints back at me. “I’m up the hill. It’s notthatfar on a nice day, but this? Terrible.”
I should have brought my car, but I got a lift in with Fred yesterday and haven’t been home since.
The bus will take me home but from memory, the bus doesn’t go up the hill at this time of year due to the ice.
“Let me walk you.” Popping my umbrella open, I step out into the downpour and hold it over me. “I need the exercise.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that!” She watches me with wide eyes. “Don’t you live on the other side of town? Not that I know where you live—I mean, I just remember when you were getting mail sent to the desk because your place was getting fumigated.”
My brow lifts. “That was three years ago. You remember that?”
Pink flushes across her cheeks and she looks away, shaking her head. “Just a random memory, y’know.”
“Well, you are correct. But like I said, I need the exercise. It’s not easy standing for eight hours during a surgery with minimal movement. Stretching my legs is a luxury.”
Snow squints up at me and her caramel eyes seem to capture the light despite the gloominess around us, exuding warmth when she smiles. “Alright, since it will help you out.” Adjusting her coat, she steps out from the overhang and under my umbrella. “Luckily, it’s not that far.”
“The farther, the better,” I reply. “Though perhaps with less rain.”
“Exactly.”
Snow walks so close to me that our elbows bump together, which doesn’t bother me, but after three gentle collisions, Snow suddenly loops her arm around mine and walks closer.
My heart jumps.
She acted without hesitation and warmth envelops my arm as she hugs in.
“I didn’t even see you in the cafe,” Snow says, apparently oblivious to the sudden rampant thoughts she caused by holding me. “You must have been at the back.”
“Yes.”
“Were you there for lunch? Is this going to make you late for work? Because I can totally walk by myself.”
