The rain had turned from a drizzle to a steady drape by the time she reached her car.
She fumbled with her keys, telling herself she didn't care whether Dominic was still standing by the curb. But when she glanced over her shoulder, he was exactly where she'd left him — one hand in his pocket, the other holding nothing to shield himself from the downpour.
The streetlight caught on the wet strands of his hair, making him look younger, less untouchable.
And dangerously familiar.
"Do you plan on just standing there until you dissolve?" she called before she could stop herself.
He turned, that almost-smile tugging at his mouth. "I was waiting to see if you'd offer me a ride."
"I'm not going out of my way."
"It's on your way."
She sighed. The man was impossible. "Fine. But don't drip all over my seat."
Dominic's POV
The inside of her car smelled faintly of coffee and the lemony hand cream she used to keep on her nightstand when they were still married. The scent tugged at something deep in him — memories of quieter mornings, bare feet on the kitchen floor, her hair still damp from the shower. Memories he shoved to the back of his mind immediately.
He kept his hands folded in his lap, careful not to let them brush hers as she drove.
The windshield wipers beat a steady rhythm, filling the silence between them.
She didn't turn on the radio. That was new. He thought maybe it was because Eliana was asleep at the back.
Lena had always liked music in the car, humming under her breath even when she didn't know the words.
He wanted to ask about her bookstore, about her life now. But the way her shoulders stayed tense told him she wasn't ready for any kind of casual conversation.
"Thank you for letting me come today," he said finally.
"You already said that. No need to repeat it."
"I meant it both times."
She kept her eyes on the road. "Don't expect every event to be open to you."
"I don't expect anything," he said quietly. "I just… hope."
Lena's POV
His voice was lower than she remembered, rougher at the edges. Still nothing smooth about it.
And she hated how it slipped under her guard, how it made her grip the steering wheel tighter. How it made her shoulder tense.
She could feel his gaze on her, not heavy, not demanding — just… there. Like he was trying to memorize the curve of her jaw, the way her hair fell forward when she glanced down.
When they stopped at a red light, she caught his reflection in the window. Rain streaked across the glass, distorting the edges of his face, but his eyes… they were exactly the same. Steady. Dark. Capable of undoing her.
And that was the problem.
Dominic's POV
He noticed the way she kept her chin slightly tilted away from him, as if the space between them might be enough to keep the past from catching up.
But he could still feel the warmth radiating from her, even with the damp air between them.
A bus splashed by, sending a wave of water across the curb. Lena didn't flinch, but he caught the small, wry smile at the corner of her mouth. That was the Lena he remembered — the one who could find humor in the smallest things, even when life was kicking and slapping from all corners and making everything messy.
He wanted to say her name. Just her name. But it would be too much. And he wasn't ready to make her feel uncomfortable. He did not want to slow down the little progress they have made.
Lena's POV
When they pulled up to his building, she didn't cut the engine right away.
Rain streaked the glass, muting the city lights beyond.
"You should go," she said finally.
"Lena—"
"Don't." Her voice was sharper than she meant. "Don't make this harder than it already is. Just go Dominic".
He studied her for a long moment, rainwater still dripping from his hair.
Then he opened the door and stepped out into the downpour without an umbrella.
Dominic's POV
The rain was cold, but it felt almost clean. Made him feel clean. So it can wash away his past mistakes. Make him feel brand new.
He wanted to turn back, to say something that would undo the distance between them. Undo all the mistakes he made in the past. But pushing her now would only send her retreating further. Making all the efforts made useless.
So he closed the door gently and leaned down to look at her one last time. "Drive safe."
Her hands stayed on the steering wheel, knuckles pale. She didn't answer — but she didn't drive away immediately, either.
And for Dominic, that pause… that hesitation… was enough to keep his hope alive.