Chapter 13 - Their First DateAlexander chose a diner.
Sarah thought it was a joke.
It was not.
Emily had loved the place.
That made Sarah nervous.
Alexander noticed.
“We can go somewhere else.”
“No.”
“You look uncomfortable.”
“I just don’t want to step into somebody else’s memory.”
Alexander considered that.
“You’re not.”
He opened the door.
Inside, the diner was nearly empty.
Red booths.
Chrome edges.
A jukebox in the corner.
Sarah smiled.
“This is where the billionaire takes women?”
“I haven’t taken a woman anywhere in two years.”
The sentence came out heavier than intended.
Sarah softened.
“Then I’m honored.”
They sat.
Alexander ordered fries.
Sarah laughed.
“What?”
“Emily.”
He smiled.
“She always got fries.”
“I know.”
Alexander looked at her.
“You remembered.”
“Yes.”
Their first twenty minutes were awkward.
Not terrible.
Just careful.
They knew each other too well in some ways and not at all in others.
Sarah knew how Alexander looked when he was afraid.
She knew he hated cinnamon in coffee.
She knew he checked every locked door twice.
But she did not know his favorite movie.
He did not know where she had gone to college.
So they started there.
“Favorite movie?” Sarah asked.
“No.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I don’t have one.”
“Everyone has one.”
“Not everyone.”
“You’re exhausting.”
Alexander smiled.
“What’s yours?”
“Roman Holiday.”
“That’s predictable.”
Sarah gasped.
“Take me home.”
He laughed.
They talked for two hours.
Sarah told him about growing up outside Cleveland.
About her sister Lily.
About the years after Lily died.
Alexander told her about meeting Emily at twenty-six.
He spoke without flinching.
That mattered.
At one point, Sarah looked down.
“Does this feel wrong?”
Alexander knew what she meant.
“No.”
“Not at all?”
“Different.”
He paused.
“But not wrong.”
Sarah nodded.
“I don’t want to compete with someone who died.”
“You’re not.”
“You loved her.”
“I still do.”
Sarah looked at him.
Alexander continued.
“I think that used to scare me.”
“The idea that loving anyone else meant I was betraying her.”
“And now?”
He looked around the diner.
“Now I think love is less organized than that.”
Sarah smiled.
“That’s almost poetic.”
“Don’t repeat it.”
They left at ten.
Outside, the air was cold.
Alexander walked Sarah to the car.
Neither knew how to end the evening.
Sarah laughed.
“This is painful.”
“What?”
“You’re trying to decide whether to kiss me.”
Alexander looked genuinely startled.
“I was not.”
“You absolutely were.”
“I was trying to open the door.”
“The door has been open for fifteen seconds.”
Alexander looked at it.
Sarah laughed harder.
Then he smiled.
“Can I kiss you?”
Sarah’s laughter stopped.
“Yes.”
It was brief.
Gentle.
Nothing dramatic.
But when they separated, both looked stunned.
Sarah touched her lips.
Alexander looked toward the car.
“That was…”
“Don’t ruin it.”
He nodded.
“Right.”
They returned home quietly.
The house was dark.
Mrs. Doyle was waiting in the foyer.
Sarah stared.
“What are you doing awake?”
“Inventory.”
“At ten-thirty?”
Mrs. Doyle looked at Alexander.
“How was dinner?”
Alexander walked past.
“Good night.”
Sarah narrowed her eyes.
“You were waiting.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
The next morning, Henry took one look at Alexander.
“You kissed her.”
Alexander nearly choked on coffee.
Sarah froze.
Lucy looked between them.
“You did?”
Alexander stared at Henry.
“How could you possibly know?”
Henry shrugged.
“You look weird.”
Sarah burst out laughing.
Alexander put his head in his hands.
Eleanor arrived later.
She heard within six minutes.
Mrs. Doyle denied involvement.
Nobody believed her.
Eleanor found Sarah alone in the garden.
“Are you serious about him?”
Sarah stared.
“We went to dinner once.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Sarah looked toward the house.
“I don’t know.”
Eleanor nodded.
“Good.”
Sarah frowned.
“Good?”
“Certainty is overrated.”
Sarah smiled.
Eleanor continued.
“But I will say one thing.”
“What?”
“Do not let him turn you into a replacement for Emily.”
Sarah’s expression changed.
“I won’t.”
“And do not turn yourself into one either.”
Sarah studied her.
Eleanor looked toward the window.
“Alexander loved my daughter-in-law because she challenged him.”
“You challenge him.”
“But you are not Emily.”
Sarah nodded.
“I know.”
“Make sure he does too.”
That evening, Alexander and Sarah sat on the terrace.
The children were asleep.
Sarah told him what Eleanor said.
Alexander listened.
“She’s right.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow.
“You said that very quickly.”
“I’m practicing.”
He looked at her.
“You’re not Emily.”
“I don’t want you to be.”
Sarah’s chest loosened.
Alexander continued.
“You make terrible coffee.”
She stared.
“Excuse me?”
“Emily made good coffee.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
He smiled.
Sarah shoved his shoulder.
He caught her hand.
For a second, neither moved.
Then the phone rang inside.
Alexander released her.
Mrs. Doyle opened the door.
“Mr. Hayes.”
Her face was serious.
“Dr. Patel is calling.”
The warmth vanished.
Alexander stood.
Sarah followed.
Every good moment still lived beside uncertainty.
That was the reality they could not dance away.
Alexander answered.
He listened.
His face changed.
Sarah’s heart dropped.
“What?” she whispered.
May you like
Alexander ended the call.
“It’s Lucy.”
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