Departure

After fixing our clothes, Sarah and I stepped into the private master bathroom to wash up.

Standing in front of the marble vanity mirror, Sarah splashed cool water onto her face and dried her skin with a soft towel. The flustered, hesitant expression she had carried earlier was completely gone. In its place was a bright smile that seemed to lift a decade of stress off her shoulders.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching her adjust her hair in the mirror. I completely understood her mindset.

Dylan was the absolute center of her world, and she wasn't ready to throw a complicated, high-society romance into his life while he was still settling down. Finding an arrangement where she could keep her independence, protect her son's peace, and still have a passionate, deeply loving connection with me gave her the exact balance she needed.

"You look happy," I said with a smile, stepping up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist.