starting at the end

He paused for a pace, taken aback by the question. Perhaps he was a fool for not letting his instincts take him further. “I’m a skeptic,” he replied truthfully. “But I’m sure I could be convinced if the right girl came along.” He gave her a fleeting, smiling glance, curious to see how she would take his response. It had been quite some time since Edy had even attempted to flirt with anybody, and he was not sure he'd even had charm back then.

As he continued to walk beside her at a leisurely pace, he tried to imagine the two of them together. It was not all that difficult to do, but he was quick not to let his mind wander too far away from him. They had only just met, and although he yearned for a family, he would not push those who did not wish to be pushed. His attraction to her at this point was ninety percent instinctual, though he did not consider that a bad thing.