She was waiting in the lobby of his building like she belonged there.
Julian pushed through the main doors after work, the strap of his bag digging into his shoulder.
The lobby was the same as it always was at this hour, tiled floor still carrying the faint scuff marks from the day's traffic, the row of mailboxes lined up along the wall, the single overhead light buzzing above the bench.
She sat there with her coat folded neatly beside her, phone in her lap, looking up the moment the doors clicked shut.
She stood without hurry. "You got my text."
Julian stopped a few steps away. The text had come through while he was still at his desk, short and direct, saying she was in the city for the day and would stop by.
He had read it twice and left it unanswered. "I saw it."
"Good." She slipped the phone into her purse. "I didn't want to stand in the hallway upstairs. This seemed easier."
