Chapter 9 - The ChoiceMark’s breath caught in his throat. The autumn wind whistled through the trees around them, but he felt entirely warm.
“Elaine…” he began, his heart pounding violently against his ribs. “I’ve spent three years locked in a room built out of memory and duty. I built walls to keep Lily safe, to keep myself from getting hurt again.”
“I know,” Elaine said gently, reaching out to rest her hand over his on the cold bench. Her fingers were warm. “I built my own walls out of work and control so no one could ever see how lonely I was. But when I woke up in your house that morning, seeing the way you cared for your daughter, seeing the quiet honor in everything you do… my walls didn't stand a chance.”
Mark looked down at her hand covering his. The fear of moving forward, of letting go of the safety of his grief, flickered one last time in his mind—and then dissolved completely.
“What about the risks?” Mark asked, a genuine smile breaking across his face. “What about workplace rumors?”
“Let them talk,” Elaine said, repeating the very words she had whispered weeks ago, but this time with a joyful, radiant smile. “We survived Julian Vance. We can handle a few office rumors.”
May you like
Mark turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with hers. “Lily’s going to insist you eat macaroni with us again.”
Elaine laughed—a rich, beautiful sound that echoed across the park. “I think I can manage that.”
