Chapter 12 - THE MAN WHO NEVER ASKED HER TO SHRINK
Adrian and I began dating in March.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Without pretending my divorce was already finalized.
We went to bookstores.
Small restaurants.
Art galleries.
And once, a terrible comedy show where neither of us laughed until the performer accidentally knocked over his microphone.
Adrian was different from Ethan.
He didn't need to win every argument.
He didn't turn disagreement into disrespect.
And he never treated my career as competition.
One evening, we sat on the balcony of my townhouse.
The city glowed beyond the trees.
Adrian handed me a cup of tea.
“Long day?”
I smiled.
“Very.”
He sat beside me.
“Want to talk about it?”
I shook my head.
“Not yet.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
We sat quietly.
Then I looked at him.
“Adrian.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you like me?”
He smiled.
“That's a dangerous question.”
I laughed.
“Answer it.”
He considered.
“Because you're intelligent.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Continue.”
“Because you're brave.”
I smiled.
“Good.”
“Because you care about people even when you're angry with them.”
My expression softened.
He looked at me.
“And because you make me want to be better without ever asking me to become someone else.”
I stared.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Then I whispered:
“Ethan used to say I was too much.”
Adrian frowned.
“Too much what?”
“Too ambitious. Too opinionated. Too independent.”
He looked at me.
Then smiled.
“Maren.”
“Yes?”
“Don't ever become less of yourself to make someone else comfortable.”
May you like
My eyes filled.
And for the first time in years, I believed I could be loved without shrinking.
