“No.”
“Then you're safe.”
They both laughed.
Riley realized something that evening.
Lauren was not competition.
The dead do not need to be erased for the living to belong.
Love could expand without revision.
Daniel loved Lauren.
Daniel loved Riley.
Those statements did not cancel each other.
That knowledge made Riley love him more.
A year after the snowstorm, Brendan Westcott appeared.
Not physically at first.
Through email.
In Aspen for conference. Would like to talk. Coffee?
Riley stared.
Daniel saw name over her shoulder.
“Brendan.”
She looked up.
“Yes.”
“Ex-fiancé?”
“Yes.”
“You going?”
“I don't know.”
Daniel nodded.
That irritated her.
“You don't care?”
He looked confused.
“I care.”
“You seem calm.”
“What should I do?”
“I don't know.”
“Fight him?”
She smiled despite herself.
“No.”
Daniel leaned against counter.
“You ended it.”
“Yes.”
“Do you want him?”
“No.”
“Then coffee doesn't scare me.”
Riley studied him.
“Very evolved.”
“I’m terrified internally.”
She laughed.
“There.”
Riley met Brendan.
Coffee lasted forty minutes.
He looked exactly as he used to.
Handsome.
Expensive.
Controlled.
He asked about company.
Then Daniel.
Then Aspen.
Finally he said:
“You seem different.”
Riley smiled.
“I am.”
“Happy?”
She considered.
“Yes.”
Brendan looked genuinely relieved.
“That’s good.”
No villain.
No regret.
No attempt to reclaim.
Just two people who had ended because they were wrong together.
Brendan said, “I think we spent two years trying to make something work because it looked correct.”
Riley nodded.
“Probably.”
He smiled.
“Glad you found incorrect.”
She laughed.
“Me too.”
When she got home, Daniel was under sink fixing leak.
Riley crouched.
“How romantic.”
“Pipe disagrees.”
She kissed top of his head.
He looked up.
“How'd it go?”
“Fine.”
“Fine fine?”
“Actually fine.”
He nodded.
Riley touched his cheek.
“You really weren't worried?”
Daniel smiled.
“A little.”
“How little?”
“Enough to replace sink trap aggressively.”
She laughed.
Then kissed him properly.
Another winter came.
This time Riley did not run away from Denver.
She drove home to Aspen.
Home.
The word still surprised.
Carter's garage had become busier.
Riley offered marketing help.
Daniel refused until she pointed out his website had not been updated since 2015.
He admitted defeat.