In the morning, Mia stepped out of the room and found Claus leaning against the railing, a cigarette smouldering between his fingers. The faint smoke curled into the cool air.

“I would’ve bet you’d quit that habit,” she teased, folding her arms.

Claus glanced at her with a faint smirk. “I had better things to focus on these past few days. Almost forgot I was a smoker at all.”

“And what was that focus?” she asked, moving closer until she was standing beside him.

Claus exhaled ...