Overview

After her late shift, Hallie finds Rio waiting to drive her home, and a quiet ride turns into an impromptu late-night road trip filled with music and shared memories. Back at their houses, lingering tension culminates in a decisive, passionate kiss on Hallie’s porch, with Rio rejecting the idea of staying just friends before he leaves for a two-week trip.

Full Summary

After midnight, Hallie exits the bar to find Rio waiting by his truck, dressed down from his maroon suit with rolled sleeves and a beanie. He offers her a ride and reveals he stocked the passenger seat with a blanket and pillow in case she wanted to rest, a gesture that overwhelms Hallie with how cared for she feels. She accepts, settles in under the blanket, and they drive in silence with music, comfortably falling into old patterns.

Approaching their exit, Hallie asks if Rio will keep driving despite the late hour. Rio wordlessly obliges, merging back onto the expressway and cruising past the city. They curate a soundtrack of songs from their past—TLC and “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer—swapping stories about early crushes and their first kiss. The drive stretches for hours, light and nostalgic, until nearly three in the morning when Rio refuels and then heads back toward home.

Rio slows their return, drawing out the time together before parking in his driveway. They share a quiet acknowledgment of how right the night felt. Instead of parting, Rio walks Hallie to her porch, initially keeping a careful distance and urging her to go inside. Hallie’s internal conflict between caution and desire tips toward desire; she tugs him down and brushes a tentative kiss at the corner of his mouth.

Rio, eyes dark and intent, confirms that Hallie is single and declares, “we aren’t friends,” then kisses her with urgent need, channeling years of pent-up longing. The kiss turns consuming and physical as he presses her to the door and pulls her close; Hallie responds eagerly, recognizing the old familiarity and new intensity. Sensation gives way to emotion as she remembers the heartbreak of his leaving years before, and the kiss softens.

Sensing her shift, Rio gentles his touch and slips her house key into her back pocket, then unlocks the door behind her. He asks her not to speak and to let the moment stand without overthinking. After one last tender kiss and a promise—“I’ll see you in a couple of weeks”—Rio crosses the lawn to his house, leaving Hallie stunned in her doorway.

Who Appears

• Hallie Hart — narrator; finishes a late bar shift, accepts Rio’s ride, initiates a tentative first kiss, and shares a passionate reunion kiss while still carrying past hurt.
• Rio DeLuca — professional hockey player and Hallie’s former boyfriend; waits for Hallie, planned for her comfort with a blanket and pillow, extends their night with a nostalgic drive, declares they are not just friends, and kisses her before leaving for a two-week trip.