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 strict no-delivery

an MBA course at Kingswell University. Since you're an alum,

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

next Friday at 11 a.m. Does that work for

had no objections and sent an OK gesture

...

day they had agreed, Corley parked his car and walked

on a quaint

had a knack for decoration that appealed to the younger crowd, making it popular even

the window. Roseanne arrived a few minutes later, and a

record player

a bohemian charm. Corley ordered

packed the gloves

out to take them.

with the aroma of coffee beans, the ambiance neither too cold nor

river, completely frozen over in

its edges, dr

in a

layer of snow