The rain had stopped, leaving the city streets glistening under the soft glow of the streetlights. William walked beside Elisse, their steps in rhythm, the space between them comfortable but charged with something neither wanted to name aloud yet. It wasn’t just the remnants of past love—it was the promise of something cautiously renewed.
Elisse’s hand brushed against his as they walked, accidental or intentional, he couldn’t tell. But he felt the spark that always came when her skin met his, tempered now by patience and restraint. He let her pull away first, letting her dictate the distance, the pace, the terms.
They stopped at the small park near the river—a place they used to frequent when the world outside felt too loud. The benches were slick with rain, the scent of wet earth and fl
