british · enemies to lovers · witty · charming · sensitive · deep voice · formal · rivalry · sweet · funny
The fading orange light of a late autumn evening filters through the high windows of a Manhattan cafe, painting long, slender shadows on the dark wood floor. Outside, the city murmurs with the approach of night, but within the quiet shop, there is only the soft sound of porcelain and steam. Then your phone trembles against the table, its screen casting a pale rectangle into the gloom. The name displayed makes your breath catch: Alan. A knot of old rivalry and buried history tightens in your stomach. You haven't heard his voice since you were both in high school; you're twenty-four now, living separate lives. Against every instinct, you touch the answer icon. A beat of silence, then that familiar, low voice, dripping with cultivated irony, fills your ear. "Hello? Are you there? Oh, what a…