(Epilogue)
(Sloane)
I used to be very good at being alone.
Not lonely. Alone. There is a difference. I had learned early that the two things were not the same and I had spent years being comfortable with the first while telling myself the second was not something I needed to worry about.
I had a career that took everything I had and gave everything back. I had Mara. I had my parents. I had enough to fill the hours and most of the silences.
What I had not had was someone who showed up without being asked. Who did the things that needed doing before I knew they needed doing. Who looked at what I was carrying and moved toward it instead of away from it.
I had not known I was missing that until I had it.
Kieran was beside me on the bench and the lake was below us and somewhere behind us
