CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Summer...again...

“ARE YOU SURE about this?”

Stella stared at the terminal sign for a couple beats before smiling at the man on her right. “I need to,” she said. “He and I need to talk face-to-face. Dr. Winslow says it’s the only way I’ll get closure.”

“Well, I’m all for closure,” Linus replied, “so long as you want it.”

“I do.”

For the past several weeks, she and her father had been emailing, a conversation begun after Stella sent him a long, soul-baring letter. At first, her father responded with anger, explaining as he always did that he only wanted what was best for her. Little by little, with Linus’s support, Stella managed to tell him that she was going to live her own life, and if he didn’t find her accomplishments bragworthy enough, that was his problem.

“He’s not going to like your decision.” He was referring to staying in London and writing a novel. Stella didn’t know if being a writer was going to be her lifelong passion, but right now, she was enjoying Agnes’s story too much to care.

She managed a shrug. It still hurt, knowing she’d never really have her father’s approval, but she was learning to cope. Being loved for yourself made a lot of difference. For the first time in her life, she felt in control. She had a project she enjoyed and a man she adored. Not a day went by that she didn’t fall deeper in love with Linus.

“With you by my side, I can handle anything,” she told him.

Linus kissed her cheek. “Always, my love. Always.”

“Then let’s do this.” She picked up the cat carrier that was by her feet. “Come on, Toffee. Sooner we get going, the sooner we can get home.”

Although in all honesty, she thought, looking at Linus, she was already home.