Page 33 of Hearts & Embers

She laughed softly before her expression became more thoughtful.

"The truth is that I never really wanted anything serious."

The admission surprised me.

"You didn't?"

She shook her head.

"No."

I studied her for a moment.

"Why?"

Aurora considered the question before answering.

"I liked my life, my independence, making my own decisions, and I liked the freedom that came with not having to build my life around someone else's plans. Whenever relationships started moving toward something more serious, I usually found a reason to step back."

The honesty in her voice left little room for misunderstanding.

"What changed?"

Her eyes lifted to mine.

"You."

The answer caught me completely off guard. After everything we'd shared during the evening, hearing the words spoken aloud felt different somehow.

She smiled.

"Your turn."

I knew immediately what she meant but my past was something I’d never discussed with anyone. The conversation had been moving in this direction for most of the evening.

I set down my glass.

"There was someone."

Aurora's expression softened slightly.

"A serious relationship?"

I nodded.

"More than that."

She remained silent, waiting for me to continue.

"I was married."

Surprise crossed her face immediately.

"You were?"

I nodded.

"Her name was Rachel."