Chapter 14 - THE MAN WHO NEVER ASKED ME TO FORGET
I met Daniel Mercer eighteen months after the anniversary party.
He was a landscape architect hired to redesign the courtyard outside my studio.
He had kind eyes.
A quiet sense of humor.
And absolutely no interest in impressing people.
The first time we met, he arrived carrying rolled-up plans and a paper cup of coffee.
He looked at my office.
“Nice place.”
I smiled.
“Thank you.”
He glanced at the courtyard.
“Terrible drainage.”
I laughed.
“That bad?”
“Worse.”
He grinned.
“I can fix it.”
Over the following weeks, we talked.
At first about plants.
Then books.
Then children.
Daniel had a daughter named Lily from a previous marriage.
She was eight.
He spoke about her with the same affection I felt for Sophie and Ben.
One afternoon, he asked whether I'd like to have dinner.
I hesitated.
He noticed.
“No pressure.”
I looked at him.
“It's complicated.”
He nodded.
“Most worthwhile things are.”
I smiled.
Then said yes.
We took things slowly.
He never asked me to explain my divorce before I was ready.
He never treated my past as something embarrassing.
And when I told him what had happened, he listened.
Then said:
“That must have been painful.”
I nodded.
“It was.”
He reached across the table.
“Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.”
I looked at his hand.
May you like
Then took it.
For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful.
