The man stood beneath the soft glow of the chandelier, the light catching the edges of his rain-dampened suit as he slid his hands into his pockets. A quiet calm radiated from him, but his eyes, those steady, warm eyes held an intensity that made time slow. He watched Linsy for a long moment, as if afraid she'd vanish if he blinked.

"Linsy," he finally said, his voice a low timbre of memory and longing, "Mansy. We were in the same class back in elementary and junior ...