Talk to nicely.

Hey, I see you here all the time. Do you mind if I buy you a drink?

The woman who'd spoken sat down on the barstool next to me. She was classically pretty,

with blonde hair, soft hazel eyes, and a mischievous smile. I'd seen her here at Al's

bar a few times before, but I had never spoken to her

before tonight. I gave her a small smile. If she was trying to pick me up, I wanted to let her down

gently. I told her that I appreciated the offer, but after I finished my beer, I was going home

to my wife and kid. It was a white lie. Annabelle had

taken our son Jacob to her sisters for the weekend, and technically I had the whole apartment

to myself. Rather than taking the hint, the woman leaned in closer.

Not many people know about this place, she said, looking into my eyes.

You must be from the neighborhood, huh?

We just moved in, I replied thoughtlessly.

You know that big brick apartment building at the end of the block?

The woman nodded, as though my answer was exactly what she'd expected all along.

When she asked exactly which unit I lived in, though, I started

to get uncomfortable. I never should have let the conversation get this far, I realized. I should

have turned away, paid my bill, and left. But instead, I stayed right where I was, enjoying the

attention. After all, how long had it been since someone had flirted with me?

How long had it been since I'd had a fun conversation with a stranger? Just chatting about

something other than work, finances, or childcare. The woman introduced herself as Melody.

She explained that she used to live in the building that I just moved into,

...