my hands. I know what I committed to.”
“Do you normally hand deliver your children’s books?” Adam asked.
“Sometimes.” Sara and Dave exchanged a look.
Something was not being said. Adam didn’t push. “Come on; walk me to the front door.”
Sara escorted him to the front door and deactivated the ground’s security. “I’m glad you came for dinner.”
He brushed back her hair. “I enjoyed it a great deal. And if you ever change your mind, all you have to do is call. My invitation for coffee or dinner is still open.”
She tentatively fingered the lapel of his jacket. “I’m sorry, Adam. It’s not possible.”
His fingers entwined with hers. “Someday it will be. Think about it. We can work something out.” He bent and kissed her. It was something he rarely did on a first date, but the possibility of its being the last one was lingering too close in the back of his mind. “Good night.”
The beach was deserted. Adam walked along the shore, deep in thought. His dog loped ahead of him, exploring.
The night was comfortable. The moon was full, casting a bright trail across the lake water. Adam typically enjoyed the view. Tonight it barely registered. He had a problem to solve.
His normal approach was not going to work in this situation. Sara wasn’t going to accept an invitation for a date; she wasn’t likely to be more forthcoming with details of her past. She didn’t know him well enough to trust him.
Adam picked up a shell on the beach and rubbed it with his fingers. Trust was going to be hard to earn. The complexity of Sara’s past stood like an insurmountable mountain. Like the fine lines in the shell he held, her past was layered deep.
Her past had made a pearl. Rather than break her, the pressure had made something beautiful.
He sighed.
He could walk away. It was what she wanted. He certainly understood her reasoning. The complications her security needs introduced could destabilize any hope of having a relationship.
He had never been one to walk away from a challenge. He liked her. She had a class about her that was much more than just her appearance; it went deep into her character. He liked how she expressed herself, how she related to her brother.
There was complexity to her. He was tired of shallow people. Over the last decade he had seen all he wanted to of fame, the gloss, the surface. He didn’t want that for his future.
Sara held the promise of something real. Her life forced her to live with carefully chosen priorities. She couldn’t afford to live at the surface in her relationships. As he had listened to her talk about her brother and her friend Ellen, he had heard the depth she had established in those relationships. He wanted to be part of that circle. He wanted a chance to really know her.
What did he have to offer her? Others were attracted to his fame, his accomplishments. To Sara, they were real obstacles. His wealth, which might help with the security, was not a plus either. Her family came from old wealth. She didn’t lack for what money could buy.
He knew she would gladly trade that wealth for what she didn’t have: a relationship with her father, freedom.
Adam paused.
Besides her brother, she didn’t have any close family. She didn’t have freedom of movement. She didn’t have the luxury of taking a dog for a walk on the beach late at night.
He had a great family. The fact he had lived in the public eye for so long had also taught him some invaluable lessons about how to ensure privacy when he needed it.
Sara didn’t realize the extent to which her life would be better with him in it. So how did he convince her to take the chance?
Dave.
Adam’s eyes narrowed. Yes, Dave would be the key. Nothing happened around Sara without his security coverage.
Could he turn that to his advantage?
Lord, I want to get to know her. What is the best way to approach this? I’m only going to get one chance.
Dave had finally gone upstairs to bed shortly before
“Do you normally hand deliver your children’s books?” Adam asked.
“Sometimes.” Sara and Dave exchanged a look.
Something was not being said. Adam didn’t push. “Come on; walk me to the front door.”
Sara escorted him to the front door and deactivated the ground’s security. “I’m glad you came for dinner.”
He brushed back her hair. “I enjoyed it a great deal. And if you ever change your mind, all you have to do is call. My invitation for coffee or dinner is still open.”
She tentatively fingered the lapel of his jacket. “I’m sorry, Adam. It’s not possible.”
His fingers entwined with hers. “Someday it will be. Think about it. We can work something out.” He bent and kissed her. It was something he rarely did on a first date, but the possibility of its being the last one was lingering too close in the back of his mind. “Good night.”
The beach was deserted. Adam walked along the shore, deep in thought. His dog loped ahead of him, exploring.
The night was comfortable. The moon was full, casting a bright trail across the lake water. Adam typically enjoyed the view. Tonight it barely registered. He had a problem to solve.
His normal approach was not going to work in this situation. Sara wasn’t going to accept an invitation for a date; she wasn’t likely to be more forthcoming with details of her past. She didn’t know him well enough to trust him.
Adam picked up a shell on the beach and rubbed it with his fingers. Trust was going to be hard to earn. The complexity of Sara’s past stood like an insurmountable mountain. Like the fine lines in the shell he held, her past was layered deep.
Her past had made a pearl. Rather than break her, the pressure had made something beautiful.
He sighed.
He could walk away. It was what she wanted. He certainly understood her reasoning. The complications her security needs introduced could destabilize any hope of having a relationship.
He had never been one to walk away from a challenge. He liked her. She had a class about her that was much more than just her appearance; it went deep into her character. He liked how she expressed herself, how she related to her brother.
There was complexity to her. He was tired of shallow people. Over the last decade he had seen all he wanted to of fame, the gloss, the surface. He didn’t want that for his future.
Sara held the promise of something real. Her life forced her to live with carefully chosen priorities. She couldn’t afford to live at the surface in her relationships. As he had listened to her talk about her brother and her friend Ellen, he had heard the depth she had established in those relationships. He wanted to be part of that circle. He wanted a chance to really know her.
What did he have to offer her? Others were attracted to his fame, his accomplishments. To Sara, they were real obstacles. His wealth, which might help with the security, was not a plus either. Her family came from old wealth. She didn’t lack for what money could buy.
He knew she would gladly trade that wealth for what she didn’t have: a relationship with her father, freedom.
Adam paused.
Besides her brother, she didn’t have any close family. She didn’t have freedom of movement. She didn’t have the luxury of taking a dog for a walk on the beach late at night.
He had a great family. The fact he had lived in the public eye for so long had also taught him some invaluable lessons about how to ensure privacy when he needed it.
Sara didn’t realize the extent to which her life would be better with him in it. So how did he convince her to take the chance?
Dave.
Adam’s eyes narrowed. Yes, Dave would be the key. Nothing happened around Sara without his security coverage.
Could he turn that to his advantage?
Lord, I want to get to know her. What is the best way to approach this? I’m only going to get one chance.
Dave had finally gone upstairs to bed shortly before
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