“I’m sorry.”
“It’s hard to outlive a child. Even one who was as broken as she was. I’m glad my wife didn’t have to bear that. It would have killed her had the cancer not taken her first.”
“You said your daughter had a son. Do you still see him?”
“He too passed. Yes.” He shook his head, lowering his lids. She suspected he was crying, but her vision was blurred from her own tears.
She took his hands in hers. “I can’t even imagine what that must’ve been like.”
“You didn’t want children?” he asked.
“I wanted them desperately, but my husband wasn’t quite ready. And then when he died, well, that was that.”
“I’m sure you were a good wife.”
“I tried to be. It was easy, though. I loved him more than anything on this Earth.”
“You could still have children. You’re young. There will be another chance for you.”
“I’m not sure. It’s hard to imagine starting over after sharing your life with your soul mate. We were everything to each other.”
“Don’t discount it.” He pulled back his right hand and patted his heart. “Natalie, love is why we live. Don’t cheat yourself from that.”
“You never remarried,” she said.
“I’m different. I had done everything I ever dreamed of.”
“It’s hard to trust people. I’ve run into some dishonest people of late. I’m not trusting my instincts like I used to.”
“There are the bad ones. You’ll see through them. There are more that are good. Sometimes people hide things, but for reasons they believe are honorable, which is a whole different story.”
“Like you and all of this? Do people in town know that it’s like a movie set?”
“Oh, heavens no. I don’t let anyone come up here. They’d think I was completely cuckoo, and maybe I am.”
“But they are your friends. They’d understand.”
“I’ve let it go too far now. Now I’m town lore. The eccentric hermit who lives on the hill.”
“In the castle.”
“Yes.”
It was sad he felt like he had to lie to these people about such a silly thing. “Honesty is still always the best policy. Sometimes the truth is hard to explain, but true friends would understand.”
“Much easier to see that now. At the time, I was protecting my pain by hiding. I didn’t want to share it.” He reached for her hand and held it. “You are a kind and understanding woman. Wise beyond her years.”
“I don’t know about that, but I do know that you’re a good man.”
“Miss Natalie, I’d love to be your friend.”
“I’d love that. I believe we’re off to a very good start. I really enjoy your company. Your stories. I can’t imagine what living in Hollywood and rubbing elbows with the rich and famous must’ve been like.”
“It was like living a dream. I was a small-town man, and yet I was acting as if I’d been born into it. It was like Gatsby or something.”
She laughed. “My, now that does draw an image. I guess you were sort of starring in your own movie.”
“It would have been the most epic love story. We never lied to each other, never cheated, never went to bed angry. Not once.”
