Chapter 135

Dave spent longer than he needed to choose a wine from the well-stocked Brathellae cellar. He remembered the bottle of vintage champagne he’d selected when he’d gotten engaged to Susannah. How excited he’d felt, how ready he’d felt for the commitment he’d made. He had imagined himself to be in love, and she was in love with him. He had been Lea’s age—twenty-six. Susannah had been two years younger, with a host of issues he had been completely oblivious to until it was too late.

Mary had compelled him to settle down as soon as he could. With hindsight, he could see now how many signs he’d missed about the suitability of Susannah, even his own readiness for such a permanent commitment. He’d had no way of knowing how that night of celebrating his engagement would end less than a year later, in her death. How could he have been so ignorant of the demons she’d battled on a daily basis?

What did that say about him?

It said he wasn’t relationship material, that’s what it said. Or, at least