All In

I sighed as the last the customers filed out of the gallery. It had been a very long, but successful day and all I wanted at that moment was to go home. I turned around and walked back to the counter, wrote down a few notes about shipments and was just about to start locking up when I noticed someone standing off in the display portion of the gallery.

"I'm sorry sir, this is only the display area and none of these prints are for sale. I'm about to lock up, but if I can interest you in any of the other prints in the sale area...?"

"No, it's quite all right. It's a shame this one isn't for sale, however. It's quite a lovely portrait."

"Ah, thank you. It was a self-portrait I took one day down at the beach. Are you sure I can't-" I paused and fell silent when I recognized the voice. "Liam?"

"It's been a long time, Anna." He said, turning to face me as I stared in shock.

What he said was true, it had been quite a long time since we'd last seen each other. The last time I saw Liam, was the first time we met. We met at the gallery when I was twenty-two, shortly after my career as a well-known artist had taken off. He had asked for my help in finding a print, saying he was looking to buy one as a gift for a friend. Liam had asked if he could take me to dinner, as a thank you for helping him and I had agreed. I would've been lying to myself if I had said no and denied my attraction to him.

"Liam," I began, taking a deep breath to give myself the strength to continue. "What are you doing here?"

"Anna, I came to see you. I have something I need to talk to you about."

I took a step back, turning away as I tried to ignore the soothing effect his Irish accent had on me. I knew better; I knew my morals wouldn't let me stand for this. He was married and I knew better than to get involved with a married man.

"Liam, I can't do this. It's been five years since I last saw you. Besides, you're married."

"Things have changed."

"How?"

"For starters, I'm no longer married. My wife and I got a divorce shortly after I purchased the print from your gallery. She explained that we had done well for the time that we were married, but it wasn't working anymore."

"I- I'm sorry to hear that, Liam."

"We filed for divorce the day before our anniversary. I offered her the print anyway since it would've been her anniversary gift, but she told me to keep it. It's hanging in my apartment now." He responded, still talking in a soothing manner.

"Why are you telling me this?'

"Do-" He paused, taking a few steps about the gallery in silence before he continued. "Do you remember when I took you out to dinner after we met? How well we got along despite the age difference?"

"I do." I replied cautiously as the memory swept over me.

He had taken me to a very quaint little bistro just a few blocks away from the gallery. The staff there had been very kind and the food had been amazing. It occurred to me when we were sitting there that I didn't know anything about him, but I was already falling for him. He had been so gentlemanly and the atmosphere had been so romantic. I had sworn that he must've felt something for me too, but quickly abandoned that idea when I realized he was married. That had been the last time I saw him.

"Anna," He paused and took my hand in his own, his gaze holding mine. "When we went to the bistro together I felt something and I know you felt it too. When I went home after you left I realized that though I loved my wife, what I felt for her was only a fraction of what I felt for you. I still feel that way, Anna."

"I still feel that way too." I replied softly, as my gaze fell to the floor.

"I'm glad to hear that, Anna. Would you like to try going out to dinner again? Perhaps we could start over; pretend we just met or had only met a couple days ago. What do you say, Anna? Can you give me another chance?"

"I can."