The moment Romano’s dark gaze met hers, the noise of the crowded restaurant bled into a dull, underwater static. The shock that had held Leah rigid shattered, giving way to a raw, burning ache that rushed straight to her chest. A single, hot tear escaped her eye, tracing a quiet line down her flushed cheek.
She didn’t wipe it away. Instead, before Romano could process the pain breaking across her face, Leah dragged her eyes away from him, severing the connection completely. She turned her head toward the dark glass of the window, staring past her own pale reflection at the rain streaming down the glass.
Beside her, the chatter of her coworkers continued uninterrupted, completely oblivious to the silent demolition that had just occurred at their table.
“Leah? Are you okay?” one of her f
