He stepped back. “After the heat from Adrian dies down, I’d like to come visit you. See the life you’ve made for yourself.”
Despite what I said, it would be hard to see him and not be reminded of everything he did, but his interest in wanting to be in my life showed he was trying.
I gave my father a small smile. “I think I need some more time before that happens, but I’d like that.”
“Of course.” Roman smiled, defining the lines around his mouth. “ I look forward to that day. I’ll be in touch soon, Katherine.”
As we stepped away, the weight that I had been carrying around with me since he left us lifted from my shoulders. That feeling of relief at forgiving my father was comforting.
“Well, little bird,” Mack approached, replacing where my father had just been, “looks like I’ll be seeing more of you now that you found your old man. Just make sure you keep your head on a swivel. You never know when some low-life might be following you around.” His deep chuckle at his ironic words made me giggle.
“Thanks for looking out for me, Mack.” I pulled him in for a hug, which he returned awkwardly by patting my back twice and then pulling away.
Mack nodded and stepped around me to stand next to my father.
“You ready to go home, darlin’?” Drew asked with his hand outstretched beside his truck.
“I’m ready.”
I accepted Drew’s hand as he helped me into the truck cab. I turned back to Mack and my father and gave them one last wave as we pulled out and away from Roman’s mansion.
After a few miles on the road, I shifted in my seat and faced the man who had wormed his way into my life and my heart since the beginning of this.
“Thank you, Drew.” I threaded my fingers through his as they lay on the center console. “Thank you for coming here, for not leaving when I told you about Adrian, and for not giving up on me. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
He gave my hand a little squeeze. “You would have donewhat you always do: Survive. I’ve said this before, but you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, Katherine. You always have been. You never needed me for that.”
Drew brought our interlocked hands up to his mouth and placed a chaste kiss on my knuckles.
“As for staying by your side,” he smiled lazily, “there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I’m a stubborn man when it comes to you, Katherine. I knew from the moment we met that you were mine and I was yours. There was never a doubt in my mind that we’d be anything else to one other but everything.” Drew looked away from the road and wiggled his dark eyebrows at me. “Besides, I knew you’d finally come to your senses. No one can resist my undeniable charm.”
I laughed. The feeling was genuine and carefree, and it was all because of him.
The man who had become a source of light and comfort in my darkest days. The man who gave me the courage to step out of the shadows of my past. The man who had captured my heart when I thought it had been locked away forever.
“I love you, Drew,” I proclaimed without even thinking. The need to get the words out right then and there practically overwhelmed any other rational thought.
Drew turned to me with a look of adoration on his ruggedly handsome face. The emotion that filled his deep green eyes struck me. “I love you, Katherine. More and more every day.”
He reached over and stole a quick kiss before settling his eyes back on the road. We sat in contented silence as he drove.
For the first time in over a year, I felt adored and safe and hopeful for the future. I was right where I was supposed to be, right beside the man who I was supposed to be with. That feeling settled around me like a warm embrace.
And as I looked out the window toward the early morning horizon, I immediately found the waning moon that slowly faded off into the distance of the light blue sky. It was almost completely gone with the rising sun, but I could still see its familiar shape.
At that moment, I knew my mom was there with me just as she had always been, looking down on me, grateful that I found my peace, just as I hoped she’d found hers.
EPILOGUE
THREE MONTHS LATER
KATHERINE
Iwas buzzing with excitement when I got to Drew’s apartment on Friday afternoon.
Well, it was our apartment now. I still wasn’t used to calling it that since moving in with him a month ago.
My heart beat wildly with nerves, and my hands shook as I struggled to insert my key in the lock. When I got inside, I discarded my bag on the kitchen counter and went in search of Drew to tell him the good news.
