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When the time was right, I wanted her to trust me enough to come to me as just her, and I’d hold her in my arms forever without letting go.

But till then, I was keeping my distance.

Katy and I still had a long way to go.

And I had all the time in the fucking world.

My eyes were glued to the side mirror, watching her golden hair fly in the sky. A happy smile danced on her lips as if she was experiencing life in a long time. Her pale green eyes were glowing with so much trust as she held on to me for dear life.

In all my years, Katy had never gotten on my bike, and I was sure she would find a way to fight it, but damn did she surprise me.

The absence of her engagement ring didn’t slip by me. A diamond that told the world she was mine. She was wearing it even in New Orleans. It made me wonder, did she take it off because she no longer wanted to be my wife or no longer wanted to keep up the facade to our friends that we were together?

Knowing Katy, I wouldn’t get the answer to that anytime soon.

But we were at least getting somewhere. What good did a ring do in our relationship anyway?

It wasn’t long before we slowed down as we entered Iona. I’ve never been to this town, but I knew Matty volunteered here at a local home teaching kids how to play drums. Knowing she spent the last two weeks at his place, I was sure that was how Katy met Luka.

I was skeptical about her sudden decision. Adopting a child wasn’t an easy task. I knew if Katy said I would like him, I definitely would, and I knew we could give him everything.

But what worried me was her.

Katy’s coping mechanism was to take on projects and work her way through them, and I didn’t want her to do this for all the wrong reasons.

“Right up there, Lan.” Katy gestured to the old stone buildings lined with potted plants dying to welcome winter.

I nodded, clutching to the first gear as I braked us to a stop by the curb. “Careful,” I muttered as I got her off.

She mumbled a thanks, drawing her chunky cardigan closer. I was thankful today was a rare sunny day, or else knowing Katy, a bike ride on a fall day would’ve frozen her to the bone.

I followed Katy as she led me through a side door that opened to a small but decent reception area which had no one in sight.

“I think they must be through there,” she muttered and took a tentative step toward the office door to the right.

I waited as she spoke in hushed tones to someone before gesturing for me.

I closed my distance to her and entered the small office with a tiny wooden desk and two chairs in the front.

“This is Landon,” Katy introduced me to a lady with blue eyes, wearing a long dress and a beaded rosary around her neck. “Lan, this is Lucia. She and her husband, Peter, run this place.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking the hand she held.

Lucia smiled, her eyes creasing. “I must say this is a nice surprise. I wasn’t expecting you both today. Mr. Evans didn’t tell me anything.”

“Hmm,” Katy said, hesitantly. “We actually decided to come out here on our own. Lan and I…” Her eyes darted to me. “We were hoping we could see Luka today.”

“Luka would be in his classes now, but I can arrange for you to see him,” Lucia said, her eyes laced with question. “But may I ask why?”

“We were thinking that, umm.” Katy swallowed, twirling her finger on the side of her dress. “That maybe…”

I slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to me. “We were thinking if Luka could come live with us, only if that’s something that he’s okay with, something you’re okay with. And if he does, we’d like to adopt him as our own.”

Lucia’s smile widened. “Of course, adoption is very rare here at St. Mary’s, but we love it when our children can find the home they deserve. We need to speak with his social worker to make anything happen. Why don’t you meet him first? And we’ll go through the process later?”

“Of course,” I said.

“Please take a seat, or would you like to wait by the garden outside, and I will bring him out?”