Two weeks had passed, and as I spotted Ryan passing by my apartment, I couldn't resist striking up a conversation.
"Hey," I called out, prompting him to stop and turn towards me.
"Hey," he replied, his demeanor casual as he faced me.
"Headed down to the bar already?" he inquired. I nodded, adjusting the laptop and book cradled in my arms.
"Yeah, got some work stuff to take care of, and your Wi-Fi's unbeatable," I quipped, a smile playing at my lips.
Ryan chuckled, his gaze briefly meeting mine. "Glad to be of service," he teased, earning an eye roll from me, though I couldn't suppress my smile.
We continued our descent down the stairs, a comfortable silence enveloping us. It was a short journey from my fourth-floor apartment to his on the fifth, but in that quiet space, his cough cut
