That struck me, how he pinpointed what drove me as an architect, not only preserving the past, but finding ways to bridge it with the future.
"Tell me more about your design," he prompted, sounding genuinely interested.
I explained the technical challenges of the renovation and the need to obtain clearance from the historical commission to makeexterior changes. Liam asked questions about the material and structural integrity of the building.
"You know a lot about building construction for a firefighter," I observed.
"It's part of the job. Understanding how buildings are constructed helps us understand how they may come apart in a fire. How they might fall," he replied.
There it was again, the hint of something painful in his eyes. I wanted to ask but sensed it wasn't the time. Instead, I steered us back to safer ground, describing my vision for the community spaces.
Before I knew it, we had talked for almost two hours. Our plates were empty, yet neither of us seemed inclined to end the conversation, even as the diner filled with some of the after-church crowd.
"I should probably let you get on with your day," I finally said, though it was the last thing I wanted.
Liam checked his watch. "I didn't realize… Hey, there's this mini-golf place. If you don't have other plans?"
The hopefulness in his voice squeezed my heart. This man asked me to play mini-golf, as if we were teenagers on a first date. It was so endearing. I couldn't have said no if I tried.
"Mini-golf sounds perfect, but I'm extremely competitive, and I will absolutely talk trash if I'm winning," I warned.
A broad smile spread across his face. "You're assuming you'll win, Ms. Daniels. Bold of you."
"Oh, it's like that, Lieutenant? Game on." I laughed, sliding out of the booth.
Liam stood and dropped bills on the table to cover the bill and a nice tip for Marlene.
We headed outside to our cars. "Why don't we drop your car off, and I'll drive to Putt-Putt?" Liam suggested.
"Sounds good."
We got inside our cars, and Liam followed me back to my place, where I parked and then hopped inside his truck with him.
"The weather is gorgeous today. You couldn't have picked a better day to play mini-golf," I noted as Liam drove away from the curb.
"You're right, and honestly, I'm looking forward to getting some fresh air."
"Me too. When's the last time you played mini-golf?" I asked.
"Probably high school. My sister dragged me here when they first opened."
"Oh, what you're saying is, I'm about to whoop your rusty behind."
We laughed.
"Sounds like fighting words, Ms. Daniels." He smiled.
I shook my head, smiling. "What? I'm setting expectations. I believe in transparency.
Liam matched my smile, and after the short drive, we pulled up to Putt-Putt Paradise. It looked the way I imagined, with a windmill and synthetic turf. I couldn't remember the last time I'd done something like this for fun, no agenda involved, just a fine man and me.
Liam parked his truck, got out, and came around to open my door. Inside, we approached the teenage cashier, who perked up slightly. "Two adults?" he asked, reaching for the clubs.
"One adult, and one highly competitive architect," Liam corrected, which made me laugh.
We selected our putter, with Liam testing the weight as if choosing a weapon and picked our balls. I chose purple, and he went with red. Of course.
"Ladies first," he declared as we moved to the first hole. It was a simple, straight shot with a small loop-de-loop in the center.
