Page 16 (1/2)

Her heart sped as she iuard her body And there went the blush again "It’s not really--I uard Thanks"

"No har"

"You--" Natalie cleared her throat but couldn’t hide the set started in security? Are you from LA?"

He let out some sound that was a

"No" He did the thing with his finger on the glass again And again, it looked like the ice followed it It had to be a trick of the light "No, I’m from San Francisco Well, I was born in China, but lived most of my life in the US My boss hired me in San Francisco Trained me Put me to work in his business He does international work too, so having soes as I do is useful"

"You don’t have an accent"

He shrugged "I don’t consider hed "Well, not that long ago" He couldn’t have been any older than her In fact, if it wasn’t for the serious expression and knowing gaze, she’d say he was younger

"I’m older than I look" He slid closer "I just have one of those faces And how did you become a reporter? Did you alant to be?"

She pulled back a little and took a sip of beer "Yeah Ever since I was a teenager I grew up in Oakland Went to journalis?"

"Yeah Moved down to San Diego for work But I like it You?"

He gave a rueful laugh "Sohts I miss LA Other times…" He looked at her "I don’t"

"I miss Northern California" She frowned Why had she told hie blinked, obviously surprised "I do, too"

"Do you have family?"

He looked confused "What?"

"In San Francisco?" She cleared her throat "My dad still lives in Oakland, but we’re not close"

"I… I do have family there, but I’ers in a str Cgertheange land, then" She squinted out the s of the bar "It’s so bright here Isometimes Miss the smell of the ocean It sht way That probably doesn’topen a little "That ely exposed

"May I call on you?"