Emily and River meet in Miami, where they have the time of their lives, but it isn't meant to be: the next morning, Emily leaves for San Francisco, leaving both their hearts broken. They don't think they'll ever see each other again.
Emily goes back...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
She didn't know what to think of River and she couldn't tell what his intentions were. He was cute; that was a fact she couldn't deny, and it was nice of him to offer her to show her the best places in Miami - even if she hadn't come to Miami to go sightseeing but for the vibe and the peace the city exuded, and his offer was unnecessary because of that.
However, he'd been nothing but kind to her since they met, even when he'd dropped the act of being a waiter and she'd seen the human side of him. The expression on his face as he awaited her answer told her that he really didn't mind guiding her around this afternoon. There didn't seem to be a dark side to him, no matter how hard she sought; it was his nature to help others, so why was she still doubting his intentions?
Because he's a stranger, that's why, she thought. The past three years should have taught her not to trust strangers.
Though, as long as he didn't get too close to her, it couldn't hurt, right? He didn't know who she was or who she was related to. He was also just fired from his job, which he couldn't have planned. Them meeting had been a coincidence and there couldn't be any danger. After all, she was the one who'd decided to go after him when she saw him and his boss arguing; she'd taken the first step. There'd been no plan, besides the plan that fate had for them.
She believed in fate, so she answered, "I'd like that."
It was then that he truly became someone else; a better, happier version of himself. None of his apologetic smiles had been quite as beautiful as the genuine one showing on his face right now, complemented by the shimmer in his eyes. She wondered why it made him so happy just to get the chance to guide her through Miami; he was just fired, so a smile would be the last thing she expected to see. But nonetheless, her eyes didn't lie and her answer had actually brought him joy.
However, he tried to hide it when he asked, "So, is there anywhere you want to go?" She could tell that he was taking his role as a guide very seriously by his gestures and his tone of voice. "The beach is right there, but there's nothing spectacular to see."
He had both his arms on his back, waiting for her answer, but not being able to see what he was doing with his hands made her nervous; what if she'd made a mistake by saying 'yes'? She could've interpreted the whole situation wrong. What if she was in danger? Her heart began beating rapidly. Was there a kitchen knife in his pocket? A blindfold, perhaps?
He could take her drag her to a van in just a few seconds, letting her vanish from the world for the second time, if she wasn't cautious enough.
"Isn't Miami famous for its beach?" she asked, keeping the shiver in her voice under control. While she'd been waiting at the airport for departure just two days ago, she'd been Googling Miami. "I can't go to Miami and not see the beach, right?"
"We're on the wrong side of Miami for the beach," he said. He pointed across the water where the silver skyscrapers were, reflecting sunlight. However, her attention fell to his hands and arms. He wasn't holding a weapon, she noticed, but his arms were muscular enough to not need one to take her down. "That's where you should be if you want to see the best beach in the world."
