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“You want the rest?”
She plucked the remaining cookie from my fingers and took another bite. A few crumbs landed on her lips, and the urge to reach out and swipe them was real. She licked her lips to capture them.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome. You look nice. Something about you feels different today.”
She blushed. “Well, for one, I woke up happy and well rested. I feel good.”
“It shows. What brings you out?”
“Oh, I just wanted to get out for a little while. Soak up the sun. I hadn’t planned to come here when the Uber dropped me off in town. I saw the crowd and decided to see what was going on.”
“You’ve never been to the farmers’ market?”
She shook her head. “I’ve been a bit of a hermit the last couple of years. My anxiety has me wanting to run for the hills right now.”
“Stay in the moment and work through it. You took a big enough step by coming out here. You deserve to enjoy yourself.”
She looked around. “There’s just so many people. I wasn’t even supposed to come over here. I could feel myself beginning to panic, and you were a familiar face.”
“Well, I’m glad my face had a calming effect. I’d be happy to walk around with you if you’re comfortable with that.”
She was hesitant, but she nodded. I offered her my arm, and she gently wrapped her fingers around it. Something about her touch was practically electrifying. We stared at each other for a moment. She was so damn beautiful. If this was what she looked like before her husband, I could only imagine that she hadn’t always been this shy, timid woman who retreated into her shell. I was dying to see her bring that back out.
“Lead the way,” I said, motioning in front of me.
She began walking, and I trailed along beside her. For a while, we walked in silence. Every so often, I stole a glance at her, hoping that my staring wasn’t coming off as creepy.
“Do you come here often?” she asked.
“On occasion. Usually, I bring my sister and my niece with me.”
“Is she your only sibling?”
“Yes. They are really my only family. Well, them and my brother-in-law. His family welcomes me, but Bella and Precious are my heart.”
“You don’t have any other family?”
“I do, but after my parents died when I was eighteen, nobody could or would take us in. I gained custody of my sister, and all we had was each other.”
“You lost your parents?”
“They, uh... They died in a boating accident. They went on this yacht to celebrate one of their friends’ birthday, and the boat capsized. According to those that survived, my mother went under, and my father jumped in to save her, and neither of them came back up.”
“Callum... I’m so sorry. Were they... Were they ever recovered.”
“They were. I was able to give them a proper burial. They are resting peacefully in Oakview Cemetery.”
Her eyes widened. “My parents are buried there.” She swiped a tear from her eye. “I wanted to bury my son next to them, but Raymond didn’t think I could handle it.”
“Avyn mentioned that you lost a child. She wasn’t gossiping. I want you to know that. She was just trying to explain what was going on with you.”
“It’s okay. I know she meant no harm.” She swallowed hard before she spoke again. “It was a year ago. I was almost nine months. One morning, I woke up with terrible cramps. I thought it was normal and would ease up after a while, but it didn’t. I was in so much pain, and I could tell that something was wrong. I begged Raymond to take me to the hospital. He insisted that I was probably having Braxton Hicks contractions, but I knew it was something else. By the time we got there, my baby was gone. The cord... He got tangled up in the umbilical cord, and there was nothing they could do.”
“I’m so sorry, Pasha,” I said softly. “You’ve suffered so much in the last couple of years. First, your parents, then your child... now, this. You’re stronger than most people. I’m not sure I would have survived everything you’ve been through.”
“Most times, I don’t feel strong at all.” She shook her head. “But I’m still here. That has to count for something, right?”
