Page 8 of More than a Memory
“Thanks, Darcy. As angry as I am, it gives me a small level of comfort to know that I can trust myself and my instincts,” Diane said matter-of-factly. “Our marriage has been over for a long time. I just got way too comfortable in my ivory tower and quit living for real. It’s time for me to move on and wake up! Life is short. Here I am, forty-five, and I feel like I’ve been asleep for ten years. In the end, this will be a gift,” she said, tearing up a little.
“Wow, honestly, I’m impressed with your equanimity. I know there are some hard times to get through to the other side, but I think a year from now you are going to be soaring,” Darcy said encouragingly.
As they stood at the door, Diane gave Darcy a big hug and thanked her again. “Quite frankly, as weird as this may sound, I feel lighter than I have for a long time.” Smiling, Diane opened the door and walked to her car with her head held high and a slight spring in her step.
“Go figure, Fannie. Here I thought I was going to be breaking yet another heart and instead I feel like I just handed someone the key to their happiness.” Darcy shook her head and sat down at her desk.
* * *
Darcy knew she had to stop at the grocery store to pick up something for their dinner. Annie, who had extended her stay by a week, would be getting home from work about the same time as she and would more than likely be hungry, too. She felt more comfortable with Annie crashing there anyway, so she was in no rush to get her back to her own condo. Bradley had been practically stalking her since that evening at the bar. It made Darcy nervous. After returning phone calls and organizing her desk, she quickly jotted down a short grocery list and then woke up Fannie, who had curled up on her dog bed right next to Darcy.
Darcy parked toward the back of the large parking lot of the local grocery store chain and told Fannie she would be quick. She grabbed her reusable shopping bags from the back seat floor. Fannie was sitting in the front passenger seat, people watching and perfectly content to wait. Grabbing a cart from the outside station, armed with her list, she forced herself into the store to do one of her least favorite tasks, shopping.
In the produce section, Darcy examined the apples, looking for any bruising on the fruit. She selected the six best undamaged Honey Crisps she could find and placed them in her cart. Completely immersed in her perusal of the vegetable section, she almost jumped when a male voice called her name.
“Darcy!”
She quickly turned toward the almost familiar voice and practically tripped when she saw Sam standing there with a big grin on his face.
“Sam!”
“I swear to God, I was just thinking about you! I was hoping to see you at the upcoming wedding, but now I won’t have to wait. This is a great surprise!” Sam said.
They both stood there grinning, and suddenly it felt a little awkward. They started talking at the same time. Laughing, Sam said, “You go first.”
“Well, as a matter of fact, I’d been thinking of you as well. I just received an invitation to Allie and Zane’s wedding and my first thought was of you,” Darcy admitted.
“Likewise. I was kicking myself that I didn’t get your phone number last Thanksgiving, but then life got in the way and it was put on the back burner. Now here you are,” Sam said, smiling warmly. “I must say, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her beautiful face with those gorgeous green eyes.
Suddenly feeling bashful, Darcy looked away, unexpectedly speechless, unusual for her.
“Well, what have you been up to?” she forced herself to ask.
“Pretty boring existence. Mostly work, with the occasional trail ride thrown in to keep me sane,” Sam said, grinning.
“I know the feeling,” she laughed.
“I was just out at the Johnstons’ farm a few days ago. You met them at the Thanksgiving party last year, Laura and Jake. Allie keeps her horse there and they have a horse as well. I went out to worm them and vaccinate. They’re all excited about the wedding,” he shared.
“I am excited, too!” she admitted.
Sam was completely captivated and felt like he was about thirteen years old again. Suddenly, the old memories of his bashful youth came rushing back. He cleared his throat and pushed on, despite his anxiousness.
“Darcy, I would love to go out for a beer sometime. Is that something that would interest you?” he asked earnestly.
“Yes, Sam, I think that I would like that.” Darcy found herself agreeing, even though she had some reservations since Sam was a little too much to her liking. Her danger signals were going off like a fire alarm, but what harm could a couple of beers at a bar do, she reasoned.
“Great! How about tomorrow night?” he asked eagerly.
“OK.”
“Any favorite pubs you might be interested in?” Sam asked.
“Are you familiar with Finnegan’s?” Darcy suggested. “They have pool and darts and I know most everyone that goes there. They also serve great bar food. If you want, we could grab a bite to eat while we are out.”
“Sign me up! Write down your address and phone number and I’ll pick you up around 6:00, if that works for you?” He smiled widely, showing perfectly white teeth, as he openly admired Darcy.
“Sounds like a plan,” Darcy agreed. She tore off a small piece of paper from her grocery list and scribbled her address and phone number down, handing it to Sam. His wild mop of thick, luxurious, sandy brown hair streaked with copper and blond highlights, which anyone would pay dearly to find in a bottle, made Darcy want to reach out and touch it. He looked so earnest and kind standing there, like an open book. It was almost the opposite of herself, she thought, her heart felt encased by armor, surrounded by a thick protective coating. His gaze made her feel extremely vulnerable, which was not a sensation she found pleasant.