Jamie asked casually, “Did they leave together?”

The manager nodded. Then, he noticed Jamie’s expression darken, and he thought he must have misspoken. He wanted to say something to remedy the situation, but Jamie had already opened the door and climbed into his black Cullinan.

The early spring weather was chilly. Sitting in the car felt like being in an icehouse, but Jamie didn’t start the engine. Instead, he sat in the frigid vehicle. His expression was indifferent as he pulled out a cigarette. He lit it and began to smoke slowly.

Pale blue smoke rose as Jamie raised his hand to crack the window slightly. In the chill of the wind and the haze of smoke, he thought about his past with Paityn, including the good, the bad, the sweet, and the angry.

Jamie seemed to recall that Paityn was the only woman in his life. From a physical to an emotional level, it felt like she was the only one he had ever connected with. However, she seemed unappreciative. After all, she had so many pros