Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"What can you do in ten minutes?" The girl asked.

Corley's face was expressionless as he said, "Ever heard how curiosity killed the cat?"

"Sorry."

"Once the money's in your pocket, keep your mouth shut." Corley threatened.

After getting home and showering, Roseanne planned to review a few papers before hitting the sack.

Just as she sat down, she received a message from Corley.

[You left your gloves in my car.]

He attached a photo of the gloves. They were indeed the ones Roseanne wore that day.

It then dawned on Roseanne that she had taken them off after getting into the car because the heating was high. Corley had kindly taken them from her and set them aside.

She had forgotten them when she left.

[Can I drop by to pick them up sometime?]

[My house has a

I'll return your gloves. I'm taking an MBA course at Kingswell University. Since you're an alum, if it's not too much trouble, maybe you could show me around and help me get familiar with

Corley had only offered to return her gloves or invited her to a meal. Roseanne felt their acquaintance hadn't reached that level of familiarity yet. But with him asking for a favor, and considering she had forgotten her gloves, making it her oversight, she felt even more obligated. Given that Corley needed help

next Friday at 11 a.m. Does

objections and sent an OK gesture

...

had agreed, Corley parked his car and walked to

on a quaint street not far from

to the younger crowd, making it popular

arrived a few minutes later, and a waitress came

vintage record player filled

bohemian charm. Corley ordered an iced Americano

the gloves in

out to take

coffee beans, the ambiance neither too cold nor too dry, utterly comfortable. "Do you come here

river, completely frozen over

its edges,

in a

of snow from