Chapter 6 - A Distant GlimpseElena saw him first at the town’s weekend farmer’s market.
She was buying peaches from an elderly farmer when she spotted a tall, broad-shouldered man lifting heavy wooden crates onto a flatbed truck across the street. His sleeves were pushed to his elbows, dusted in sawdust, his hair windblown. It took her several seconds to recognize Julian.
The arrogant posture was gone; the relentless forward-tilt of his stride had softened into something deliberate and rooted. She stood frozen by the fruit stall, her breath catching.
Julian turned, wiping his brow with the back of his forearm, and his eyes met hers across the gravel road.
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He didn't rush over. He didn't wave frantically or shout. He simply stopped, lowered his hands to his sides, and offered a small, deeply respectful nod. He held her gaze for three quiet seconds, acknowledging her space and boundaries, before turning back to his work.
Elena walked back to her car with trembling knees, the peaches clutched against her chest. He hadn't cornered her. He was simply... there.
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