Chapter 27
I almost declined.
Then I realized the marina no longer had enough power over me to deserve avoidance.
I wore a blue dress.
Nothing dramatic.
No revenge outfit.
No imagined audience.
Just a dress I liked.
After dinner, Emily and I walked outside.
The evening was warm.
Boats moved slowly beyond the breakwater.
She pointed toward the residence tower.
"Do you ever miss it?"
"The condo?"
"Yeah."
"Sometimes."
"Would you ever live somewhere like that again?"
"Maybe."
She looked surprised.
"I thought you'd swear off waterfront glass boxes forever."
"The building didn't cheat on me."
Emily laughed.
"Fair point."
We walked toward the promenade.
Near the entrance to the residence, I saw someone standing beside the valet station.
Adrian.
For one second, my entire body recognized him before my mind did.
The shape of his shoulders.
The way he put one hand in his pocket when waiting.
The slight tilt of his head while reading his phone.
Then he looked up.
We froze.
Emily murmured, "Do you want to leave?"
I considered it.
"No."
Adrian approached slowly.
"Hi."
"Hi."
He greeted Emily.
She was polite but cool.
Some sisters forgive more slowly than wives.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Dinner with a client."
He gestured toward the building.
"Not upstairs."
"I didn't think you were breaking in."
He smiled.
The joke helped.
He looked different.
Older, perhaps.
Not dramatically.
Just softer around the edges.
More settled.
"You look good," he said.
"So do you."
This time, it was true.
We spoke for several minutes.
His father was recovering well.
My dad had moved into a smaller place.
Adrian had heard about my promotion.
I had heard he changed firms.
Normal things.
Then the marina elevator behind the lobby doors opened.
I saw it through the glass.
A family stepped out.
Mother.
Father.
Two small children.
The little boy was dragging a bright red suitcase.
For a fraction of a second, I was back there.
Three suitcases.
Martin's luggage cart.
Lauren's overnight bag.
Adrian asking when I was coming back.
My hand holding the forwarding form.
Adrian saw the elevator too.
His expression changed.
"Natalie."
I looked at him.
"I've wanted to tell you something for a long time."
Emily glanced at me.
I nodded to let her know I was fine.
Adrian continued.
"The worst part wasn't you leaving."
I waited.
"It was realizing how long you'd been leaving before I noticed."