Grayson picked up his dry cleaning, dashed through the supermarket for basics like sodas and bread, then filled up his car with gas. Saturdays were for errands and getting everything ready for next week. The Air Force had taught him nothing if not discipline.

He didn’t mind working hard. In fact, while other people were standing around complaining about not having enough time to do things, he was off doing them.

He subscribed to the work hard play hard club. He worked hard, then he tucked work away and played. He was good at compartmentalization.

Teaching college was turning out to be different, however, and he found it be taxing. His work was bleeding over into his play time. It was part of society’s culture. Take the good with the bad, he mused.

Unfortunately, when a student emailed or texted, they expected an answer right away. Even on the weekends. And with their first test coming up on Monday, the questions were coming like wildfire. It hadn’t helped that he’d been out nearly a whole week.

He stopped at Starbuck’s for a coffee, sat outside, and while sipping his coffee, did a quick check-up of messages. Then he sat back and watched people for a few minutes. Some people were obviously heading to work, but most were like him. Running errands and starting their weekend off with a jolt of caffeine.

One couple, in their twenties, caught his attention. They were giggling with their heads bent close as they ordered and waited for their coffee. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d made the wrong decision by entering the Air Force like he did. Not that regretted his military service. He’d do that part all over again. Even knowing that he’d sometimes have nightmares and intrusive memories. Nothing four weeks in the VA hospital in Little Rock hadn’t helped him get under control. But maybe he should have married Claire first. Their lives would have been different. He would have been gone, so she still could have had the career she had today. The only thing that would have changed was that they would had a life together. A family.

Grayson was still grieving the loss of his friend. But in truth, he was grieving more the tragedy than anything else. He knew the statistics. He knew that veterans took their lives everyday. Suicide wasn’t just a military phenomenon, but these men and women had only been doing their jobs – serving their country. The resulting post-traumatic reaction was a travesty.

He tossed his empty cup in the trash and shook off his thoughts. He couldn’t rewrite the past. Still, he couldn’t help thinking that there should be more that he could do to help his fellow veterans.

Grayson had three hours before he was supposed to meet Claire at her house. Then the three of them were going to Claire’s mother’s house.

He could think of plenty of things he’d rather do than face Claire’s mother. He hadn’t done anything wrong. She was the one who had hidden his letters and phone calls from Claire. He could only imagine that he was the last person she wanted to see.

Arriving back at his apartment, he put away his dry cleaning and his groceries. He decided to change clothes again, opting for a white button-down shirt in place of the casual polo shirt he’d put on that morning.

With some time left, he turned on his computer and went to the veteran’s administration website to look around. There were lots of social worker jobs, but no openings.

He came across one of his buddies from grad school, Bob. He and Bob had taken every class together.

He found Bob’s email address and dashed off a quick email before heading out the door to pick up Claire.

They were waiting for him. They’d been sitting on the sofa playing Words with Friends back and forth.

Claire was cute in a mid-thigh length flared skirt, a t-shirt, cropped sweater, and white canvas sneakers. Danielle had on jeans and a sweatshirt.

Claire seemed a little nervous. He asked her about it.

“I didn’t tell my mother you were coming. In fact, I haven’t mentioned you since she gave me the letters.”

“Oh. Well. That’s comforting. Nothing like busting up on the one person who tried successfully to get rid of me.”

“It wasn’t you. She likes you. It was the lifestyle that scared her. She’ll be fine now.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Danielle looked up from her phone. “You’ll like Grandma,” she said. “She’s really a kind person. I’ve never heard her speak unkindly of anyone.”

“That’s comforting,” Grayson said. “Thank you for telling me.”

“No problem,” Danielle said, putting her gaze back on her phone.

The twenty-minute ride to Betty Beauchamp’s house was mostly silent. Danielle was texting. Grayson and Claire were lost in their own thoughts.

He parked at the curb and they walked up the sidewalk, Danielle in front.

Betty was waiting at the door. Danielle, according to Claire, was the one person who could lure her from her rooms upstairs without complaint.

Betty, Grayson, reflected, looked good physically, but there was a sadness about her.

They hugged and talked about Danielle’s shoulder before Betty turned to Claire. Claire hugged her mother, then turned to Grayson.

“Mom,” she said. “This is…”

Her mother interrupted. “Grayson.” Smiling, she reached out and took his hands in hers. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you, too, Mrs. Beauchamp.”

“Let’s go inside, shall we? I made lunch.”

“Are you sure she didn’t know I was coming?” Grayson whispered as they followed Betty and Danielle into the house.”

“I didn’t tell her,” Claire said.

“Danielle,” Grayson said.

Claire shrugged. “Maybe.”

Betty had made tuna sandwiches. They sat at the kitchen table eating tuna sandwiches and chips while Danielle chattered to her grandmother about her classes, her shoulder, and Sam.

After they ate, Betty and Danielle went out back to fill Betty’s bird feeders.

“You’d never know they talked every day,” Claire said.

“Really? Every day?”

“Yep.”

“Nope. I thought it must have been at least a week.”

Claire laughed. “The two of them are thick as thieves.”

“Must be nice,” he said. “To have someone that close.”

“I never did.”

“Yeah. Me either,” he said.

“You never talked about your grandparents.”

“Nothing to talk about. My grandfather was military, so they lived in Germany while I was growing up. I saw them maybe one time.”

“That’s unfortunate. What about on the other side?”

“Died before I could get to know them.”

“Same thing on Noah’s side. I mean his mother’s still living, but they weren’t close.”

“Was Danielle close to your father?”

“She was. I think that’s part of what led to her suicide attempt.”

“She seems good now,” Grayson said.

“She’s great. At first, they said we should watch her when she was too happy, but now they agree that she really is okay.”

“That must be a relief.”

Claire blew her hair out of her eyes. “You have no idea,” she said.

“You said she’s spending the night?” he asked.

“Yeah. We have the rest of the day to ourselves.”

He grinned. “That sounds irresistible.”

She raised a delicate eyebrow.

“Actually,” he said. “I was thinking. The Getty is having an art exhibit that you might like if you haven’t seen it. It’s 18^th Century Europe.”

“Ooh. I haven’t seen it. But I want to.”

“Want to go?”

“Yes!” She jumped up. “Let me tell them we’re leaving.”

He chuckled and sighed with relief. He’d avoided a conversation with Claire’s mother. Perhaps she subscribed to Claire’s policy about letting the past stay in the past. Keep moving forward.

When they got to the Getty, it was crowded. As they hiked to the front of the museum, he took her hand. She had a little spring in her step and could have easily passed for someone in her early twenties.

Now that he’d found her again, he never, ever wanted to let her go again. He would have to take the job in Pittsburgh. It would be unprofessional to leave them without someone to fill in. But after that, he would have to find a way to get back to her.

Claire would not be single long. She was absolutely adorable. She was beautiful, smart, funny, and a great mother. He wondered if she wanted to have more children.

They reached the counter and he bought them two tickets to the museum.

Maybe it was her smile. Or her lithe figure. Or both. Whatever it was, Claire turned men’s heads.

Claire had spent countless hours here studying art.

She knew every crook and cranny of the public part of the museum. She even knew some of the private administrative parts, though it had been nearly twenty years since her days as a volunteer. She’d absorbed everything about the place.

She’d considered going to school to study art, but the more she learned, the less she thought it would be worth her time to invest in a degree. She had learned what she needed to know hands on.

She still wondered sometimes, if she’d made the right decision, especially when someone asked her where she studied. It was a question she rarely got now that she was successful. Perhaps the word had travelled.

She loved sharing her love of the museum with Grayson. She loved holding his hand as she navigated her way through the halls.

She also loved the way he looked at her. His attention never strayed. She could tell he scanned the crowds. Figured that was his military training. She would have expected no less. But his eyes stayed on her, especially when he wore that look of interest.

He’d always had that look for her. Since they were in high school.

Now that she was older, she knew how rare that was. That it was a gift. Very few people were fortunate to have someone who looked at them like that. Especially someone who looked like Grayson.

Tall, dark, and handsome.

She felt safe with him. No one was going to bother her while she was with him. Maine D’Court had come closest, but as soon as Grayson stepped up, he had stepped back. With her fingers looped in his, there was no question that they were together.

They stopped to admire a painting of two lovely ladies and he shifted to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

She closed her eyes. Just for a minute. And enjoyed the feel of him against her.

“You can see the brushstrokes,” he said.

Her eyes fluttered open and she focused on the painting. “It’s beautiful,” she said.

“I went to the Louvre when I was in Europe,” he said.

She pulled away to look into his eyes. He released her. “I had no idea you liked art.”

“I guess I had a little early influence,” he said, sheepishly.

She thought back to their early days. Her eyes widened. “We did come here,” she said. “I’d forgotten.”

“On more than one occasion.”

“If I recall, you weren’t that into art.”

“I was young. And getting ready to go into the military. I probably had some notion that it wasn’t manly to like art.”

She laughed. “I’m glad you saw the error of your ways.”

“I actually like the architecture most of all. But I appreciate the art.”

“I know what you mean. I’m drawn to the art, but I appreciate the sculptures for what they are. There’s a difference.”

They moved along to the next group of paintings. They spent the next two hours meandering through the museum, in no hurry. She could think of no place she’d rather be than there, at the museum, with Grayson.

It was nothing short of a small miracle that they have found each other again.

“Did you ever think we’d see each other again, much less get back together?”

“I wondered all the time. If I’d know you were divorced, I would have already looked for you.”

“If you’d looked for me, you’d have known,” she said, her lips bowed prettily.

“You’re quite right.”

“So how were you planning on finding out?”

“I’m a man. I didn’t have a plan.”

She laughed. “I thought you were happily married long ago and living with your wife and three kids.”

“You remembered. I’m impressed.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I was planning to be that wife.” She said the words before she thought. She bit her lip and fervently wished she could rewind and make the words go away.

“I was planning on you being that wife, too,” he said.

She smiled, no longer thinking she’d said the wrong thing.

They walked a few feet. “So, we’re back together?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

She felt her cheeks heat with a blush. She had said that. “I just meant. Together. Like this.”

“Do you want to be back together?” He asked.

“Do you?”

“I never wanted to be apart,” he said.

“But you’ve had other girlfriends.”

“You got married.”

“Point well made. You never wanted to get married?”

“I toyed with the idea a few times, but no. I never dated anyone that I wanted to marry.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm. What?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I just thought you would have.”

“Maybe I was waiting for you.”

“Whatever,” she said, moving away from him. “You weren’t even looking for me.”

“Waiting and looking don’t have to be different things.”

She leaned over a rail and wondered about the appeal of the painting in front of her. She often wondered about the appeal of paintings. Why some had mass market appeal and others didn’t. It seemed to be whatever elicited emotion. Not about how well it was painted.

“The past is past,” she said.

“Agreed.”

“I’m hungry.”

“Want some popcorn?”

And just like that, Grayson mused, they fell back in step. It had been surprisingly easy. Take the girl to a museum.

He laughed to himself. Not just any girl.

Claire.

Claire was the only girl he knew who would find going to the museum to be an entertaining afternoon. He knew girls that liked the casino. That liked to go shopping. He even knew a girl once who like to target practice.

But Claire was one of a kind.

In more ways than one.

She was the girl who always had his heart.

He got them popcorn from the concession stand and they walked outside through the gardens snacking on popcorn.

“Tell me about the Air Force,” she said.

“That’s something you don’t want to know about.”

“Why not?”

“Okay. I spent a lot of time jumping out of airplanes.”

“Not just for the sake of jumping.”

“At first it was. While we were training. Then after we were deployed, it was for rescue purposes.”

“So, you also learned a lot about treating injuries, too.”

“Yeah, that was a big part of it. And learning to treat injuries in less than ideal conditions.”

“You liked it?”

“There’s nothing else like it. The adrenalin is addictive.”

“Do you want to go back?”

“No. It’s for the younger guys. I’m too old now. I stopped after ten years and went back to school. Then I had to do another three years as an officer. But my days of jumping into danger ended a long time ago.”

“Good.”

“Good?”

“I don’t like thinking about you being injured.”

“The young guys don’t even think about that part. We thought we were indestructible.”

“I guess there are a few good things about getting older,” she said.

They stopped and sat on a bench. Watched a butterfly flit about. Claire held out a hand and it landed on her fingertip.

“They say butterflies are a reminder to focus on the here and now,” Grayson said.

Claire glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Then the butterfly is my mascot.”

They sat quietly while the butterfly sat on Claire’s fingertip. She shifted slightly, but it stayed. “I’ve never had this happen,” she said. “Have you?”

“Never.”

He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers.

She closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds. When she opened her eyes, the butterfly was gone.

“Here and now,” she said, feeling the sadness in her eyes.

“Don’t be sad,” he said. “Our here and now is full of promise and happiness.”

She smiled into his eyes. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, it is.”

They went back inside the museum, but decided they’d had enough for one day.

“Would you like to have dinner?” he asked. “I know a good little Italian place nearby.”

“Yeah,” she said. “That would be nice.”

When he said little Italian place, he meant little. The place had red and white checkered table cloths, but the wait staff wore black tuxedos. It was an interesting combination of quaint and fancy.

After they ordered pasta, Claire brought up the obvious. “Do you have a place to live in Pittsburgh yet?”

“I have a couple of possibilities,” he said.

“You went there for an interview?”

“I did. One of the professors is taking a year to go live and work in Japan, so he was the one who showed me around the city.”

“I’ve never been there. Is it nice?”

“Surprisingly, yes. It’s very pretty. After we left the university area, he took me downtown. We drove a long tunnel. When we came out on the other side, the city was there, right in front of us. With the river right there below us.”

“Don’t they have more than one river?”

“There are three right there that come together.”

“I never paid any attention to it. But it sounds intriguing.”

“I thought so, too,” he said.

“You must be excited.”

“I was,” he admitted. “But not so much now.”

Their entrees arrived and they sat quietly enjoying their food for a few minutes.

“This is really good,” she said.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Claire,” he said. “If we can make it work for just one year, not even a year, just until next May, I can try to come back here. I can find something else.”

She nodded, but kept her eyes down.

He kept talking. “I wouldn’t go, but I don’t have anything else here now and they’re counting on me. The guy who’s going to Japan said they hadn’t had all that many applicants. Granted, that was March, but still, it sounds like they really need me to cover for him. He said if he can’t find someone to cover for him, he can’t go.”

“Do you know why he wants to go?”

“I think he has a girlfriend there. He wants to bring her back here, but she can’t leave yet. I didn’t ask too many personal questions.”

“I admire you for wanting to help him out,” Claire said.

“I’m a sucker for a sad story, I guess.”

She looked back up at him. “I guess so.”

“We can do it, right? Am I missing something?”

“No. We can do it.”

“You’re hesitant.”

“It just feels like déjà vu,” she said.

“It does. Doesn’t it? I’m so sorry for that. I’ll so make it up to you.”

“Okay,” she said.

After dinner, he drove them back to her house and walked her to the door. They stood at the door for a moment.

“I’m going to just go inside,” she said.

“Okay,” he said, confusion on his face.

She tiptoed up to kiss him on the cheek. “Thank you for a lovely day,” she said, then he turned and kissed her lightly on the lips. She went inside, leaving him standing there looking befuddled.

Claire closed the door behind her and leaned against it. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips to her lips.

It had been so easy to fall back into being a couple with Grayson. Too easy.

So easy it frightened her.

Then came the reminder. He was leaving. Again. Soon.

She locked the door and pushed away from it. She went into the living room and flopped down on the sofa.

People did long-distance relationships all the time. All. The. Time.

It wasn’t like she didn’t have the money to visit him. It wasn’t about the money.

It was about all the evenings she would spend alone.

All the mornings she would wake up alone.

She’d spent nearly twenty years of her life in that kind of relationship.

It was not how she wanted to spend the next ten, twenty, or thirty years.

He said he could try to come back after a year. Try.

Once he was away, it became easier to stay away. He’d be lured by the next opportunity.

She knew. She’d been through it before.

It was different with Noah being a pilot, but there were too many similarities to what Grayson was proposing.

She couldn’t ignore it.

Perhaps she should lay low for a bit. Play it cool. Stay away.

She scoffed.

She could no more stay away from Grayson Moore than a moth could stay away from a flame.

She could, however, disappear for a bit.

Pushing herself off the sofa, she went into her home office, turned on her computer, and sent the necessary emails and made the reservation