Honestly?

[ she tucks the tarpaulin under the barrels and winces -- inwardly -- at having raised the man's defences so clumsily. ]

He was someone I think I could've maybe loved, if I'd had the chance to know him longer. But the way things played out? Eh. It wasn't in the cards. So instead of sobbing, I started slinging drinks.

And I've hardly looked back since.