One umbrella Two cities

The fluorescent lights of the office usually felt like a spotlight, but here , in the dim,amber glow of the Daily grind, Tyla felt invisible. It was 10.45 PM, and she was tucked in the corner booth , hidden behind a mountain of foam in her latte and a worn paperback novel.

She wasn't Tyla the Marketing lead tonight.She was just Tyla in a pair of oversized heather - grey sweatpants and a hoodie that hadseen better days. Her hair was pulled into a knot that could only be described as a "structural chaos". This was her sanctuary - the one place where she didn't have to be "on".

The bell above the door gave a lonely chime.Tyla didn't looked up.She was busy enjoying the fact that,for the next hour, she didn't have to answer a single e-mail .

"Tyla?"

The voice was a cold splash of water.It was deep, measured , and carried the unmistakable candence of someone who spent their days giving Powerpoint presentations .

Tyla froze.Please let it be a hallucination,she pleaded silently.she lowered her book , her heart sinking as she met a pair of startled dark eyes .

It was Liam.

He looked exactly what he did at 9:00 AM on a Monday -Crisp white shirt , navy blazer and a tie knotted with a mathematical precision.He looked like a glitch in the Matrix standing in the middle of the bohemian coffee shop

"Liam." She managed, her voice flat.She instinctively pulled her hoodie sleeves over her hands, trying to hide the fact that she was basically wearing pajamas in public ."What are you doing here ? Did the office explode?"

Liam's gaze flickered over her messy hair and then quickly back to her face, a hint of a blush creeping up his neck. " My car," he said, gesturing vaguely towards the dark street where rain was just beginning to streak the windows. "It died three blocks back. I was looking for a mechanic, but everything is shuttered."

Tyla took a slow , deliberate sip of her coffee , trying to reclaim her "cool" persona even though she was wearing fuzzy socks ."This is East Side, Liam. The only thing open at midnight is this cafe and the emergency room. You're out of luck ."

A sudden crack of thunder shook the floorboards. Outside,the sky opened up , turning the street into the river of black ink.

Liam looked at the deluge, then back at his expensive leather shoes. He looked utterly defeated.

"I don't suppose you know a good tow truck driver who works for tips?" he asked, a small, self- deprecating smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

It was the first time Tyla had seen him look anything less than perfect. She sighed, her annoyance softening. She couldn't exactly leave him to sleep to sleep on a coffee shop bench.

" I live two blocks away, " she said, sliding out of the booth and grabbing her bag. She pulled out a small, retractable umbrella." You can wait out the storm at my place." But if you tell anyone in accounting about these sweatpants, I will make sure your next budget proposal is ' misplaced ' indefinitely.

Liam's eyes brightened. "Your secret is safe with me , Tyla."

As she popped the umbrella open at the door, the wind whipped a spray of cold rain against them.Liam stepped closer -- close enough that she could smell his cedarwood Cologne over the scent of roasted beans.

The bell above the door jangled one last time as they stepped out of the warm, roasted-bean scent of the cafe and into the biting chill of the storm. Tyla fumbled with the button on her umbrella, and with a sharp whoosh, the red fabric bloomed above them.

It was a small umbrella. Purposefully small.

" Get in closer, " Tyla commanded, her voice competing with the roar of the rain hitting the pavement. " Unless you want that suit to be a total loss."

Liam didn't hesitate. He stepped into her personal space , his shoulder brushing against hers. He was tall -much taller than he seemed when he was sitting behind his mahogany desk - and he had to duck slightly to stay under the canopy.

" Sorry, " he muttered, his breath hitching as Tyla instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm to steady him against a gust of wind .

" Don't be sorry , just walk , " she said, her heart doing a strange flip - flop. She told herself it was just the cold.

They started down the sidewalk, the world reduced to the two feet of dry concrete directly beneath them. The streetlights reflected in the puddles, casting a blurred, golden glow on Liam's face.Usually, he looked like he was made of stone and starch, but with his hair beginning to dampen and his tie slightly askew, he looked..... Human.

"So." Liam said, breaking the silence as they turned the corner towards her apartment block. "Do you always spend your Tuesday nights rescuing stranded co-workers ,or am I a special case? "

Tyla smirked , keeping her eyes fixed on the path ahead ." Only the ones who look like they're about to be swept away by a flash of flood . It's a PR move, Liam , Imagine the headlines: Marketing Star Lets Top Analyst Drown in the puddle."

Liam laughed - a low, genuine sound that vibrated through his arm and right into Tyla's hand, which was still tucked into the crook of his elbow.

" I'll make sure to mention your heroism in my next performance review, " he joked.

They reached the heavy iron gates of her building.Tyla stopped, realizing she was still holding onto him. She let go quickly, fumbling for her keys.

' Here we are, " she said, her " cool " mask slipping just a fraction. " Home sweet Home. Leave your shoes by the mat , Liam. I just had the floors cleaned."