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It wasn’t exactly a promise, but it wasn’t a hard no.
* * *
Once, Daniel had thought fate would spit on him at every opportunity. But in the wake of Aidan’s recovery and good prognosis, he was hopeful that his fortunes were looking up.
That was why he didn’t bring up the proposal again. In fact, he gave Elle some space. Not the kind of space that said he was mad at her or that he was too cool to talk about feelings, but enough to let this thing—whatever it was—between them gel...or fall apart.
He loved her. He’d always loved her.
He’d also lived without her all these years. He wasn’t going to let her go, but...if he had to count on fate keeping her here in Savannah, he had to prepare himself to lose her. He loved her, but he wasn’t going to cling to her if her heart was in Atlanta, away from him and the life he’d fought hard to build for himself in Savannah.
* * *
“I went to see Aidan Quindlin in the hospital today,” Kate said.
Ah, so there it was. She thought there had to be a reason for her sister’s unusual midday visit.
Elle was busy setting up supplies for her fourth art journal class. Since the first one had been such a success, they had put word out to the community via the arts bulletin board and they had received such an overwhelming response that they’d formed four new sessions and started a waiting list.
“I’m thrilled that he’s doing so well,” Elle said. “How did your visit go?”
Kate got a funny look on her face. “Hasn’t Daniel told you?”
“Told me what? Is Aidan okay?”
“Sort of,” Kate said as she followed Elle’s lead and helped her sister sort ephemera into groups on her side of the table. “Physically, he seems to be recovering well. However, he does seem to be having some memory problems.”
Daniel hadn’t mentioned it. The thought that he hadn’t shared it with her made her feel a little strange. “What do you mean?”
“For one, he has no idea who I am.”
“Well, it has been a while since your disastrous prom date. Maybe he’s chosen to block that memory.”
Kate didn’t laugh or come back with an otherwise snide retort. “I’m serious. He didn’t remember me. I told him we went to prom together, thinking that would jog his memory, and he smiled and told me he was sorry but he didn’t remember and looked at me as if that night ended well.”
“Uh-oh, did you enlighten him?”
“Are you kidding? Of course not. What was I supposed to say? Once upon a time, you had a crush on me and I let you take me to prom, but I left with another guy?”
“Well, he’s bound to remember sooner or later. What will you do then—or was this a onetime visit?”
“No, I sort of volunteered to come by every day and help him shave and cut his hair when he needs it. His right hand is in a cast and I thought it was the least I could do.”
“Are you feeling guilty over prom? Seriously, Kate? That was so many years ago.”
She shrugged. “Well, it can’t hurt to help him out while he needs someone. I mean you, Mom and Gigi have been looking after Chloe.”
“That was fun. She’s been at camp this week and I’ve missed her. That’s her little easel over there.”
Sadness tugged at Elle’s insides as she wondered if she’d ever see the little girl again. Since Aidan had awakened from his coma, Daniel had been taking her to the hospital every evening after picking her up from camp. Then the two of them had gone home...or somewhere. Just not here.
Since their night together, Daniel had been...more than cordial. He was friendly and still said good morning. In fact, several mornings a week they shared a cup of coffee before he started working on the renovation if he didn’t have to stop by other jobsites first, but there was something ever so slightly removed, something too polite in the way he interacted with her.
He hadn’t kissed her since their night together—she’d noticed that, but she hadn’t let herself dwell on it because she couldn’t blame him. She’d written it off to him being nice and giving her room.
But suddenly it felt like a whole lot of room.
