Chapter 6 - THE FIRST DATE THAT WASN'T A DATE
I agreed to coffee.
Not dinner.
Not a limousine.
Not a private restaurant.
Coffee.
At a small café near the hospital.
Giovanni arrived five minutes early.
He wore jeans and a dark sweater.
Without the tailored suit, he looked almost ordinary.
Almost.
I sat across from him.
“Ground rules.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Already?”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Proceed.”
“No expensive gifts.”
“Understood.”
“No showing up at my workplace without warning.”
“Fair.”
“No involving yourself in my family problems.”
His expression changed slightly.
“That one may be difficult.”
I stared.
“Giovanni.”
He lifted both hands.
“I'll respect your boundaries.”
I studied him.
Then nodded.
“Good.”
He leaned back.
“My turn.”
I blinked.
“You have rules?”
“One.”
“What?”
“Don't pretend you're fine when you're not.”
My throat tightened.
I looked down at my coffee.
“You barely know me.”
“Then let me.”
I looked up.
His expression was serious.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then I said something I hadn't planned.
“Lily asks about her father sometimes.”
Giovanni remained quiet.
“She doesn't understand why he never visits.”
My voice trembled.
“She thinks maybe she's done something wrong.”
His jaw tightened.
I swallowed.
“And I don't know how to explain that the person who should love her most doesn't even try.”
Giovanni looked at me.
Then said quietly:
“Tell her the truth she can understand.”
I frowned.
“What truth?”
“That adults sometimes make terrible choices.”
He paused.
“And those choices are never a child's fault.”
Tears filled my eyes.
I looked away.
Giovanni didn't reach for me.
Didn't interrupt.
May you like
He simply waited.
And somehow, that made it easier to breathe.
