“My aunt is a little overbearing,” Sarai said, rolling her eyes. “And family is everywhere in my old neighborhood. I can’t walk a block without seeing someone I know or someone who knows my aunt and uncle or remembers my parents. It’s impossible to be anonymous. But if I moved back to the city and didn’t live in our neighborhood, my aunt would take that as a personal attack.”

“It sounds kind of great to be surrounded by people who love you,” I replied. I’d been in the Army and moving around for so long I had a hard time remembering how that felt.

“It is, and it isn’t.” She took off her seat belt and smiled. “And I have no idea how we got on this conversation.”

“It’s my charm,” I said with mock seriousness. “People spill all their secrets around me.”

“Did I tell you any secrets?” she asked, cocking her head to the side like she was trying to remember.

“Not yet,” I said.

Her hair was falling over her bare shoulder, sliding this way and that every time she shifted her head, and I was mesmerized. I wanted to touch it. Grab it. Run my fingers through it. I’d never seen anyone with hair that shiny before. Like silk.

“Not ever,” she replied with a wrinkle of her nose. “But thank you very much for the ride home.”

“No problem,” I said, snapping back to attention. “I’ll come get you in the morning to pick up your car.”

“I can call an Uber,” she said as she opened her door.

I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and followed her out of the truck.

“Why bother?” I asked as I met her at the front of the truck. “I don’t mind coming to get you.”

She paused and looked up at me. “You’re walking me to the door?”

“Of course,” I said. “My dad’s rules, remember?”

“What would your dad say if you insisted even though the woman didn’t want you to walk her?” she asked curiously.

I stopped walking. “Is that what’s happening now?” I asked.

Sarai smiled. “No. You can walk me.”

I let out a small sigh of relief and caught up to her.

“You know, I’m still hoping you’ll go to dinner with me,” I said as she started up the stairs.

She paused and stared down at me for a moment, then laughed, her eyes lighting up.

“You don’t give up, do you?”

“Not usually,” I confessed as she started climbing again. “Especially when I feel strongly about something.”

“You don’t even know me,” she scoffed good-naturedly.

“I want to get to know you,” I replied. “I like what I’ve seen, and I want to know you better.”

“Well, that’s honest,” she said as she stopped in front of her apartment door.

“Honesty is always the best policy,” I said, grinning.