Then a school fundraiser where Mia spent most of the evening ignoring both of us because her friends were more interesting.
It was exactly what I needed.
No grand declarations.
No instant family.
Just ordinary days accumulating.
Then, in early October, something changed.
Adrian began canceling.
First dinner.
Then a weekend trip to the botanical garden.
Then two phone calls.
His explanations were always reasonable.
Board work.
A problem with Kane Global’s European division.
His father needed him.
But the old Adrian had begun returning.
Shorter answers.
Later nights.
That distant expression that made every emotion seem locked behind glass.
I tried not to make assumptions.
Then I saw the newspaper headline.
**KANE GLOBAL CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS RELOCATION TO LONDON AMID EUROPEAN EXPANSION.**
I read it twice.
He had never mentioned London.
That evening, I called him.
“Are you moving?”
Silence.
Not the answer I wanted.
“Julia—”
“Are you?”
“I may need to spend more time there.”
