Page 28 of Love Under Review

At forty and above, you’re allowed to decide when you retire and what those activities should be. If you have a spouse, they deserve a chance to help decide what those activities are, but if you do things together, your relationship is that much stronger. Because after the kids are gone, all you have left is each other.

I guess what I’m saying is, whatever you’re doing and however experiences have changed and molded your life, roll with it. Move forward, strive to be the best person you can be, and no matter what has happened in your life, it will work out well. You’ll be the person you need to be for neighbors and for your family.

Danielle looked up again and found herself a bit teary as she thought about the simplicity of his words. He hadn’t tried to dance around the issue but had stated the problems and given permission to be happy no matter what stage of life.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Sharon said, her voice soft.

Danielle thought she saw the older woman blink back tears, and she realized how little she really knew of Sharon’s background. The woman had lost her husband a few years before, and while Danielle didn’t pretend to know how that felt, she could imagine it would be difficult all year round with all the little dates that popped up, whether it was the anniversary of his passing, of their wedding, or even just a smell or a song that brought the reminder.

With a quick nod, Danielle folded the paper again and handed it back. Standing, she brushed off her backside, trying to occupy her thoughts. “Yes, that was an incredible piece.”

Mrs. Watkins leaned forward and touched Danielle’s forearm. “Yours was beautiful too, my dear. The pieces together make for a great read.”

Danielle gave her a smile and then said, “I need to get some things done, so I’ll catch the two of you later.”

Moving away before they could object, she found herself outside the bookstore, looking in. She didn’t have an excuse as to why she was there this time, but she felt confident she didn’t really need one. She just wanted to praise him on the article.

Opening the door, she saw Liam behind the desk, and when they locked eyes, his smile made her insides flip. “Back so soon? I don’t think I have many other new books in stock for you, in the mystery section at least.”

Danielle shook her head, moving over to lean on the desk. “I’m not here for that. I just wanted to tell you I read your part of the article, and you did an amazing job with it.”

Liam moved forward, bringing with him a fresh sea smell. “I thought yours was well-written also.”

With a scoff, Danielle said, “I’m not so sure. There were a lot of parts I had a hard time writing. But I liked the overall theme you had that being yourself is enough.”

The blank look on his face made Danielle squirm.

“I don’t remember writing that.” His eyebrow rose, and he stared into her eyes, waiting for an explanation.

“I didn’t mean you wrote that exactly, but that was the overall impression I got from it.”

Liam opened his mouth wide in an O shape. “Should we talk about the topic for the next one?”

“Clyde hasn’t even gotten feedback from this one today. Let’s wait until we hear from him to think we can toot our own horns.”

“You’re right,” Liam said with a grin. “How’s your book-writing going, by the way? I keep waiting to hear from you, saying you need someone to read through it, but all I get is a silent phone.” The look on his face said he was half joking, and Danielle turned on the charm.

“I wasn’t sure you were serious about that. I’m not at that point yet, but when I am, I’ll let you know.”

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “Really? Because whenever we talk about your writing, you get a little weird and try to avoid everything about it.”

Why was it that he was the one who could read her like a book? Sure, that sounded cliché since he was the bookstore owner, but he was so perceptive about the small things that most people overlooked.

Danielle took her pointer finger and waved it in an X across her heart. “I cross my heart and hope to die that I will let you know as soon as I have something worth looking at.”

Liam’s smile spread so wide that his eyes seemed to get lost, turning into slits. “I’ll take it.”

Danielle moved a few steps toward the door. “Well, I’d better get back to it. Again, good article, and I’ll see you around.”

“What about dinner tomorrow night?”

She paused, frozen in place. Unsure what to say, she turned, the words stuck in her mouth at the unexpected request. Having him ask her on a date was something she’d subconsciously wanted but had never imagined would happen in real life.

“Are you asking me on a date?” she asked, the wobble in her voice causing her to shift nervously.

His blue eyes bored into hers. “Only if you want it to be. Otherwise, it can be colleagues talking about similar interests.” The one corner of his mouth hitched up again, and Danielle couldn’t break her gaze away from his lips, wondering what they would feel like to kiss.

“I think I can arrange that. What time?”

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