Vera finished writing the address slowly, carefully, like the letters themselves carried weight. She tore the paper cleanly and held it between her fingers, turning slightly toward Liam.
"Here," she said.
Liam reached for it.
Just before his fingers touched the paper, she pulled her hand back.
He paused, looking up at her.
"There's something I want in exchange," Vera said, her voice quieter now, but steady.
Liam tilted his head slightly. "What?"
She hesitated for half a second, then met his eyes. "Your number."
For a moment, Liam froze.
Not because he could not give it to her. Not because it was difficult. It was the surprise of it. The timing. The audacity wrapped in shyness.
He cleared his throat. "Oh."
He glanced down at the desk, then nodded once. "Okay."
He picked up a pen lying near her keyboard and pulled a blank sheet toward him. His movements were calm again as he wrote the number quickly, without flourish. When he finished, he slid the paper toward her.
