Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Corley didn't pry further, his lips curling into a grin. "A glass of freshly opened Burgundy?"

He poured half a glass and passed it over.

Murray took it, sipping lightly. "Not bad."

After a pause, he asked casually, "Didn't you say Roseanne was here, too? I haven't seen her around."

"You didn't come here just to see her, did you?" Corley swirled his wine glass, a teasing smile on his face.

"Huh," Murray's expression softened, "Just thought I'd stop by for a drink, and since I heard she was here, figured I'd ask. Is that a crime?"

Corley shrugged. "I ran into her in the hallway. She was here for a drink and probably went back home already."

Murray didn't reply, but his demeanor visibly relaxed. That was typical Roseanne, not one for these scenes. He set down his glass and stood up. "Got work tomorrow. I'd better head out. Put this one on my tab." As he left, Corley's gaze deepened slightly. After a moment, he sighed softly, "Sorry, buddy."

Less than an hour in the private room, Leda was out like a light, having downed half a bottle of wine.

A bit drunk, Roseanne couldn't drive and called a ride service to return to her apartment. Then, she took a cab from the building's entrance back to her rental. It started pouring halfway. It was late, and the cab driver only agreed to drop her at the end of the lane.

Without an umbrella, Roseanne braced herself to run through the downpour.

"Roseanne!" A clear voice stopped her, and turning, she saw Owen approaching through the misty rain, umbrella in hand. "Were you planning on running through the rain?"

He dressed more casually, lacking his usual formality, which made him seem less stern.

Roseanne hesitated, then nodded. That was indeed her plan.

"Use this," he insisted, thrusting the umbrella into her hands.

Roseanne frowned, asking, "What about you?"

What she meant was they could share.

"I'll borrow one from the store," he said before dashing to the diner across the street to borrow a telescopic umbrella from the owner.

Roseanne blinked in surprise. The diner's owner was notoriously grumpy, rarely giving customers the time of day. How did he manage to borrow it?

"Helped him fix a wiring issue a while back," Owen explained. As the rain slightly eased, he opened the umbrella and stepped into the rain.

Roseanne watched him for a moment before following. The old neighborhood was dimly lit, and the rain only made it gloomier.

Suddenly, lightning flashed across

the sky, and the wind howled,

shaking the trees violently.

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Roseanne tightened her grip on the umbrella handle, quickening her pace.

Despite the downpour, she noticed Owen maintaining a distance of ten feet between them, not too far, yet not too close. Was he slowing down because he knew she was scared?

Then, Owen ahead turned back. "Everything alright?" Roseanne paused. "Yeah."

"Keeping up?"

"Yep."

The rain was relentless. Roseanne got back, finding her pants soaked.

Quickly changing her wet clothes and having a hot shower, she put on pajamas. Fearing a cold, she had a hot cocoa.

With the sweet taste lingering,

Roseanne couldn't help but bet

the man with the umbrella, his tall, broad silhouette offering a sense of security just by being there.