When Karen arrived, she stopped in the doorway.
She wore a simple black dress and a delicate silver necklace. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders.
She looked beautiful.
More importantly, she looked comfortable in her own skin.
She walked toward me and smiled.
“Is this a date?”
I pulled out her chair.
“An actual date. No broken cars, no divorce paperwork, and absolutely no diner coffee.”
She laughed.
“I don’t know. The diner coffee had a certain charm.”
“That’s because you were emotionally compromised.”
She gave me a playful look.
“Careful, Alex.”
I raised my glass.
“To new beginnings?”
She considered the words.
Then she lifted her glass.
“To choosing our own lives.”
We touched glasses.
And that evening, we talked about ordinary things.
Books she wanted to stock. Places we wanted to travel. The terrible movie Daniel had recommended. Whether we should get a dog someday.
There was no need to rush toward the future.
