The rain started without warning.
Sheets of silver water poured from the sky as Adam and Emily stepped out of the hotel lobby, their flight schedules changed due to a meeting delay. The city was alive with the shimmer of headlights and puddles, and people scattered under umbrellas and awnings.
Emily stopped near the edge of the sidewalk, her hand shielding her hair. “Of course,” she murmured with a tired laugh, “the one time I forget my umbrella.”
Adam looked at the rain, then back at her. “Here,” he said, pulling his small black umbrella from his bag. “We can share.”
She hesitated. “It’s fine. I can wait inside.”
He shook his head. “It’ll be worse soon. Come on.”
For a moment, she seemed unsure, torn between pride and something softer. The
