Chapter 5: Her Card

I brought the jacket back the next morning, folded over my arm.

Seth was already at his desk with two coffees, and he stood up when he saw me.

"Keep it through Friday," he said. "The cold front stays until the weekend."

"I can't keep your jacket until Friday."

"Is that a no, or are you just not used to borrowing things?"

I opened my mouth and shut it.

"Second one," I said.

"Then keep it, and I'll ask again on Friday."

I hung it on my chair.

The office thermostat was set to a temperature that belonged in a refrigerator, and my fingers had gone white at the tips from the walk.

I wrapped both hands around the coffee, and it did almost nothing.

Seth noticed, because he noticed things.

"Can I?" he said, and held out his own hands, palms up.

It took me a moment to understand what he was asking.

"Yes," I said, and put my hands in his.

His hands were big and dry and warm, and he closed them around mine and did not rub or squeeze.

He just held them there.

The whole room kept moving around us, and nobody looked up.

My eyes stung, and I looked at the carpet.

"Better?" he asked.

"A little."

"Good. You can have them back whenever you want."

"I know," I said, and left my hands where they were for three more breaths, before I took them away.

I went into the stairwell with my phone, because it was the only place on the floor with a door.

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