The Man From Apartment 13B

Almost Something

Winter arrived quickly in London.

By December, Kim and Dave had become so close and part of each other's routines.

Morning coffee.

Late-night conversations.

Grocery runs.

Quiet movie nights.

Casual hangouts.

Everyone in the building assumed they were together.

But they weren't.

They were just close friends that cared for each other.

Although Dave still kept parts of himself locked away, and Kim was afraid of wanting too much.

Then one night everything changed.

Kim attended a publishing event hoping to network with editors.

Instead, she watched her ex fiancé walk into the room holding another woman's hand.

The same woman he cheated with.

Her heart shattered instantly.

She left the event immediately before anyone noticed her crying.

Outside, snow covered the streets while panic tightened her chest.

Without thinking, she called Dave.

"I know it's late," she said softly when he answered.

"Where are you?"

Thirty minutes later, he found her sitting alone outside a closed bookstore.

"You're freezing," he said immediately, wrapping his coat around her shoulders.

And suddenly Kim broke down completely.

"I hate that he still affects me," she cried. "I f**king hate it."

"F**k my feelings."

Dave pulled her closer carefully.

"You loved someone and that's not weakness " he said softly.

For a long moment, they just stood there while snow fell around them.

Then Kim looked up at him.

"Why does this feel risky?"

Dave's eyes searched hers slowly.

"Because if I kiss you right now, nothing between us stays simple anymore." He said softly.

Kim's heartbeat stumbled.

"And if I want that?"

Dave kissed her before she could say anything else.

Soft.

Careful.

Like both of them were afraid to ruin something so fragile.

But upstairs in Apartment 13B, inside Dave's desk drawer, was a letter from his late wife he still hadn't shown anyone.

And that letter was about to change everything.