"I know you weren't, but still. Don't even look in that direction." The apartment was very open concept, so there was no door for her to close and hide the mess. Thankfully it was dark enough that it hid the disaster within.

"Thanks. I spent most of the summer living in a tiny trailer, so when I moved here I realized I didn't have enough stuff to fill the space. I've worked really hard to make it comfortable. That's what drew me to this building of all the places I looked. Everything was glass and chrome and industrial pipes. Not my style at all."

She gestured for him to follow her into the kitchen, where she retrieved two plates from the cabinet to put the dessert on. "Do you want coffee, or wine?"