She looked at me.
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure I want to find out what this could become when neither of us is frightened, exhausted, or trying to solve a financial mystery.”
She laughed.
“That is a remarkably unromantic description of a relationship.”
“I’ve been saving the poetry for special occasions.”
“And when is our special occasion?”
I smiled.
“I’m thinking dinner. Somewhere with excellent food and absolutely no toast.”
She laughed and kissed me.
This time, there was no uncertainty in it.
When we pulled apart, she whispered, “I’d like that.”
And for the first time, our future felt like something we could build rather than something we had to survive.
The Night Jenna Returned
The final surprise came on a cold Friday evening.
Sarah had been living in her new apartment for almost a month. We were taking things slowly, going on dates, spending weekends together, and learning how to be a couple without allowing the circumstances of our first meeting to define everything.
