With the trickle of the sand, he feels an uncharacteristic clarity about how he should handle this, along with an equal sense that what happened between them was no call for shame, certainly. It was a spectacle, startling and unexpected, yet no one was harmed. "Perhaps." He sketches a graceful half bow and offers out the letter toward her with a smile.

"My name is Cullen Rutherford. I know that means nothing to you, but if I say the last time you met me I was rather more bullish, I believe that might?"

He straightens and continues. "I felt I owed you an apology. It wasn't easy tracking you down like this. I know I could have used the phone. It felt too impersonal under the circumstances. I hope you don't mind."