However, there was one song that immediately gave Jan a different vibe. The ambient sounds set up a background of late nights. Adam's chilled voice glided the minimal beat, painting a picture of him driving, intoxicatingly.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. But before she could comment, he said with a sassy smile.

"So you notice huh?" He grabbed his phone and showed her his scribbles. "I had an idea for this song very early on, but could only work on it after we finished the others. Somehow it felt more fitted that way. Both the song and what it talks about are what happens when you think it's too late for anything special to happen."

Jan's heart ached at the word "special". She was busy processing the fact that Adam wrote a whole song about the way they had met, no matter how subtle it was.

"What do you think?" He asked curiously.

"I... I really like it. I like all the other songs, too. But this one...," she took a long pause, then accepted she was just at a loss for words and stopped trying to describe how incredibly special this one song was for her. "I think I'll put it on repeat... forever... probably..."

"Forever?" Both of Adam's eyebrows went up. "I'm glad you like it that much!"

His voice was teasing but his eyes were serious. Jan could feel him gauging her mood. Intensely.

She couldn't help looking away. She was still getting goosebumps although the music had stopped playing. Her body felt super warm from head to toe although she didn't have her jacket on. Suddenly she had no idea what to say or do. Her whole being felt incredibly redundant and lacking at the same time.

Adam quietly closed his laptop and scooted over to her. She looked up reflexively and immediately got caught in the melting blue of his eyes.

"Look, there is something I want to tell you."

She could only give him a silent "Go on" look.

"I don't want to say it today. But I don't see how else...," he looked briefly away, just to re-establish even more intense eye contact. "With the album progressing nicely, my job here is more or less done. Max and Shellback will take care of the production. I will go back to the US in a few weeks."

It was as if a boulder appeared out of nowhere in Jan's body and dropped from her heart to her gut in a free fall, crushing everything in its way. Her hair stood on end. She still had no idea what to say or do, but this time, she felt ice-cold. She knew this moment would come, sooner or later. She just hadn't known how much impact it would have on her.

Adam waited patiently for the news to sink in. His deep blue eyes remained fixated on her.

After what seemed like a millennium, Jan managed to form her cold fingertips into fists and say some broken words.

"It's... it's great... It's going well for you... Just... ... I'll miss..."

Before she could say "you", a glowing hot teardrop rolled down her cheek.

Before she could swallow the urge to cry, Adam scooped her up in his arms and gave her a bear hug.

Never before had she felt such an intensely intimate sensation. If his previous hugs had been gentle like glowing coal, this time it was as powerful as wildfire. It ignited a desire in her to be completely engulfed in him. At the same time, it caressed the burning pain inside her, healing it, filling it up.

And she fully embraced the hug this time. Her hands didn't merely hold up, they went around his broad back and clung onto it. The tighter she held, the better it felt. As if she wanted to be fully absorbed and drown in the incredible scent and comfort his body gave. Warm tears flowed steadily from her eyes.

The warmth continued enveloping and the heartbeats got louder by the second. She didn't know anymore whether they were her heart or his. These deafening rhythmic beats harmonized the intensity of both embraces to such an extent that she got lost in it. She forgot the practicality of breathing. Or maybe with her face pressed tight against his wide chest, she thought it was totally fine to die this way.

Adam realized what's going on and gradually loosened his arms. He gently put Jan's back against the sofa and fetched a glass to pour water into. She was still in a trance and didn't notice any of that until he softly laid his hand on her shoulder and asked.

"Do you want some water?"

All she could do was nodding and trembly holding the glass he handed to her. Taking small gulps of water one by one, she came to senses and was aware again of her body, her breathing, her wet eyes. All she could feel though was the emptiness of space and warmth where his body was just a moment ago.

(cont.)