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“Oh. France. Wow. I wasn’t thinking big enough. Not

international. Is it pretty there?”

“It can be. It’s where my husband was born. He lived there

until he was in his early twenties. He never wanted to go back

to stay, but then, he never wanted to stay anywhere for long.

He loved it though. He was homesick, but it wasn’t enough to

settle him down. He wasn’t the kind of person that made

roots.”

“Why didn’t you love him?” It was a rude question and

Cassia knew that, but Adalynn only stared her down with

those cold metal eyes for a few seconds, then they warmed,

and she smiled sadly.

“Because I’m the same as you. I could never love any man

that way. I was still a wife, and I did love Pierre, but he knew,

I think. It was enough for him. We worked together and we

made that our great love. He never demanded more than I

could give. For him, he didn’t need to own me or have my

whole heart. Just a piece was enough. Most people aren’t like

that, though. I think it would have been nice to be able to give

it. I did try.” Her hand fluttered up and she brushed quickly at

her eyes. She never lost her smile, but it was sad and wistful.

“I did try. I tried to change myself, but none of us can really do

that, can we?”

“I don’t know. No, probably not. That’s why I left. I was set.

I had the kind of life most people can only dream of. But even

doing this is better than being there.”

“I never viewed my marriage as prison. It saved me from a

terrible life, and I was always grateful for that. Like I said. I

did try.”

Cassia nodded. She didn’t know what to say, not even after