Love, After All: Part 5

As the weeks passed, Daisy and Jimmie’s connection deepened. They found themselves spending more time together—morning coffee at Bound & Bejeweled, weekend hikes, and long late-night calls filled with laughter and quiet confessions.

But just as things seemed to be falling into place, life threw them a curveball.

One evening, Jimmie sat across from Daisy at their favorite table in the coffee shop, his usual warm smile absent. She immediately noticed the shift in his energy.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, setting her cup down.

He sighed, running a hand over his beard. “I got a call today… from my ex.”

Daisy stiffened slightly, but she kept her expression neutral. “Oh?”

Jimmie nodded. “She said she wants to talk. That she regrets how things ended and wants to ‘clear the air.’” He met Daisy’s eyes. “I wanted to tell you because I don’t want there to be secrets between us.”

Daisy inhaled deeply. She wasn’t the jealous type, but she wasn’t naive either. She had been in love before—enough to know that old feelings didn’t always disappear just because someone new entered the picture.

“What do you think she really wants?” she asked carefully.

Jimmie leaned forward, his hands clasped together. “I don’t know. But I do know that I don’t have any unfinished business with her. I don’t want her back.” He paused, holding her gaze. “I want this—with you.”

Daisy appreciated his honesty, but that didn’t make it easier. Her own past heartbreak whispered warnings in her mind, telling her to be cautious, to protect herself.

Finally, she exhaled. “If you feel like you need to talk to her for closure, I won’t stop you. But I need to know that if you open that door, you’re not letting her step back in.”

Jimmie reached across the table and gently took her hand. “I promise you, Daisy. My past won’t interfere with my future. Not if I can help it.”

Daisy searched his face, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to believe in the possibility of something real.

Still, she knew that trust wasn’t just given—it had to be built.

And now, they were about to find out if their foundation was strong enough to withstand the weight of the past.