Wearing a wrap dress was a terrible idea as the dress kept lifting. The slender pine tine trees were swaying in the wind and the sand grazed her feet lightly. The beautiful sight of the sunset comforted her. The familiar smell of the water and wet sand and the crashing of waves calmed the raging storm inside of her. The beach was unusually empty but she loved it. A sigh escaped her lips as her mind churned. An hour ago, she was at the shelter, taking care of some of the children and helping with whatever she could. It had been an emotional moment for her as she could relate to what some of the children were going through. She had decided to go back home to pack up what was left but took a turn to the beach last minute. Her apartment that once felt like her safe space now felt a little foreign as she had moving boxes and items lying around. She sighed as she sipped her margarita. Everything was coming together, she booked a flight out of Oregon and was leaving in a week’s tim

The ride to the airport was depressing. The weather forecast had promised the day to be cold and gloomy. She wore a knit turtleneck and jeans to prevent the harsh November cold. Very very terrible idea. She spent a good three minutes yelling at the weather app. It was too late to change to lighter clothes as she had packed her bags and her Uber was outside. Her eyes watered a bit, everything was set. She found the perfect house in Columbia and was ready to move. Ethan treated her to a nice dish and promised to come visit her whenever he could, he still tried to get her to accept Anderson’s offer but she wasn’t having it. The morning mist cleared up significantly as the sun came blazing through. To make things worse for her, her Uber driver seemed to be in a bad mood too. He yelled at her for keeping him waiting and refused to help her put her luggages in the trunk of the car. She could have conveniently called for another driver but she was not in the mood. She was an emotional

Nate fumbled for his keys and started the ignition. Roughly, he pulled out of the driveway and headed to the airport. The airport was an hour and thirty minutes away from the local pub but with the heavy downpour, it was going to take probably two hours. His mind jiggled with a million thoughts. Why did Ruby choose to move all the way to Columbia and why didn’t she inform him? Why did he care about a random employee when he could hire the best of the best? Why did he feel his breath hitch and his chest tighten when he heard she was moving? He clenched his teeth as he resisted the urge to curse and sound his horn at a reckless driver. The streets were oddly jam packed with vacationers and other road users which contributed more to the traffic. He let out a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. He figured Ruby’s flight might be delayed due to bad weather but he was sure. He pulled out his phone from his pockets as he tried calling her number, it was switched off. He wondered if

The cafe wasn’t packed, thankfully. Nate booked a cozy table. He could tell she was cold from sitting at the airport all day. Her face was flushed red from the cold as she stifled a sneeze.He wanted to order some hot chocolate but changed his mind, he still wasn’t over how she dumped hot chocolate on him the last time. A good three minutes passed in silence, an uncomfortable silence. They were preoccupied with their own thoughts and a thousand things to say but they were either scared to admit it or worried it would cost them a lot. Ruby motioned for the waitress as she ordered hot chocolate for the both of them. She saw a little look of worry on Nate’s face. “Don’t worry, I won’t be dumping it on you” she jokedNate laughed lightly and felt a part of the tension between them ease up. “So, why are you moving to Columbia?” He asked, trying to start the conversation.He was careful enough not to sound too concerned and at the same time too careless. “I guess that’s where m

Ten minutes crawled by slowly. The sky had cleared up a bit as thin days of sun began to peek through the clouds. The duo sat in an uncomfortable silence as they watched some kids run around while their mother yelled at them. Nate traced the pattern of decoration on the table. He owed her an apology for reacting so suddenly. He was confused about his feelings and he needed time to figure things out. It was the first time he felt something for someone, something indescribable, something he wasn’t ready to explore. The way her smile warms him up was strange but it felt good. He believed it was only in fairytales people felt flattered by just a stare from someone. When she placed her hands over his, he felt something he never felt with any woman. He felt comforted, loved and wanted. He could still feel how warm her palms felt against his skin.He flinched out of fear which he regretted. The fear of loving someone.The look she gave him ripped his heart into two. He wished he could