Chapter 9 - THE MAN WHO DIDN'T RUSH ME
Daniel never pushed.
That was the first thing I noticed.
He didn't demand my time.
Didn't complain when I canceled plans because one of the girls was sick.
Didn't make me feel guilty when I needed space.
Sometimes we met for coffee.
Sometimes we walked along the waterfront.
Sometimes we talked on the phone after the girls fell asleep.
I learned that Daniel was forty-two.
Divorced.
No children.
His marriage had ended years earlier because he and his former wife wanted different lives.
He spoke about her respectfully.
That mattered to me.
One evening, we sat on a bench overlooking the harbor.
Daniel looked at me.
“Can I ask you something?”
I smiled.
“You just did.”
He laughed.
“Fair.”
I looked toward the water.
“What?”
“Do you ever regret going to the terminal that day?”
I considered the question.
For months, I'd wished I could erase the memory.
The kiss.
The humiliation.
The way Ryan had looked at me.
But now I wasn't sure.
“No,” I said finally.
Daniel turned.
“Really?”
I nodded.
“If I hadn't gone, I might still believe everything was fine.”
He listened.
“I'd still be waiting for him to come home.”
My voice softened.
“I'd still be making excuses.”
Daniel nodded.
“That makes sense.”
I looked at him.
“Do you regret being there?”
He smiled faintly.
“No.”
“Even with all the trouble?”
He looked into my eyes.
“Especially because I got to meet you.”
My heart skipped.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I smiled.
“That's a dangerous thing to say to a woman who hasn't slept properly in a year.”
May you like
He laughed.
“I'll take my chances.”
