“That sounds good. I’ll have one of those.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash.

I took the money from him and, when I gave him his change, he closed his hand on mine. I couldn’t pull away. It was only for a second, but it felt like he was never letting go. Lorraine handed him his cup and he smiled and thanked her.

“I’ll see you around,” he spoke before turning around and walking out.

I looked over at Lorraine, who was staring at the door. “Do you know who that was? I think he was flirting with you.”

“Yeah, I know him. I used to work for him.”

Her eyes widened. “What? That wasn’t on your application.”

“It’s a job I want to forget ever existed.”

“Damn. If I worked for that sexy man, I’d never quit.”

I looked at her and gave her a small smile. My shift had ended, so I grabbed my purse and noticed it was raining when I stepped out the door. Shit. I didn’t bring an umbrella. It wasn’t a mere mist; it was a steady rain that soaked me as I walked home. When I approached the building, I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Simon sitting on one of the benches outside. It reminded me of the time we sat on the bench outside my old building where he confessed his love for tea.

“What are you doing here? It’s raining and you’re soaked.”

He looked up at me as his arms rested on his legs. “I don’t know. I guess I wanted to make sure you got home okay.”

“Are you stalking me or something? Because I swear to God, Simon.”

“If making sure you’re okay and that you arrived home safely is stalking you, then I guess I am.”

I sighed and sat down next to him. “You need to stop, Simon. I can’t deal with it. I hadn’t heard from you in over a week and I thought that was it. I thought you’d moved on.”

“I was giving you space,” he spoke as he turned his head and looked at me. “I’m a monster and I don’t deserve to be liked by someone like you or anyone at all. What I did, I did for the right reasons, but the wrong way. I know my apologies are never going to be enough and I don’t blame you for hating me; I hate myself. I’m only here to ask you for one thing and one thing only and then I’ll never bother you again. I promise.”

I closed my eyes as the rain fell down on us. “What?”

“I’m asking for your forgiveness because I can’t live the rest of my life knowing that you hate me.”