Page 78 of Hearts Like Hers

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The next morning, Autumn left for Pajamasbefore the sun came up. Kate enjoyed watching her get dressed and pack up asshe lay bleary eyed in Autumn’s bed, staying there at Autumn’s firminstruction. It felt good to be back.

“You’re really sexy right now,” Autumn said,looking down at her with her bag slung over her shoulder. Her hair was extrawild and curly today, and Kate loved it. She wanted to slide her fingersthrough those curls right then and there.

“No,” Kate said, shaking her head. “You’rethe sexy one in this duo. I’m just a person.”

“Then you don’t know yourself very well.”Autumn placed a lingering kiss on Kate’s lips that made her toes tingle. “Iwish I could stay and kiss your just-a-person lips again.”

“Me too.” She propped herself up on herelbows. “But we have later, right?”

“Later,” Autumn said, as if trying on theword and liking it. “You’re right. We do have later. And we should talk. Aboutthings.”

“We will.”

When she woke a couple of hours later, Katefound a slice of coffee cake on the counter with a note for her to make herselfat home, and that Autumn would cut the workday short if she could manage it.She smiled, ate the coffee cake, and walked the small house, taking in all ofAutumn’s unique touches.

After a quick shower, she pulled on jeans anda white V-neck and headed to Venice. The smile on Autumn’s face when shearrived at the coffee shop told Kate that her idea to pop in had been a goodone. She was obsessed with that smile and would do everything in her power toinspire it.

“I’ve been dreaming about this coffee,” Katesaid, accepting the house roast. Nothing back home had even come close. Autumnhad apparently turned her into a connoisseur who looked down on anything thatwasn’t freshly roasted. But then again, Autumn had brought on a lot of changesin Kate. The first sip almost brought her to her knees.

Autumn laughed. “Good?”

Kate held up the cup. “It’s like witchcraftwhat you guys do here.”

“I’ll take that endorsement.” She came aroundthe counter. “If you can hang out a few minutes, I can grab a break. We can walkdown to the beach.”

“You’re on.”

The sand felt warm beneath their toes as theywalked along the shoreline. With spring having eased into summer, the warmweather was giving way to hot. Luckily, the slight breeze off the water hittheir faces in pleasant greeting as they walked. “So, tell me where you’re at,”Kate said. “What have I missed?”

Autumn’s face fell and she went on to tellKate about the recent heartbreak, and all she’d been through since they’d lastseen each other. The knowledge of how difficult it all must have been forAutumn, and the fact that she hadn’t been there, jabbed at her. “I had no idea.How’s your mind-set now? Are you okay?”

“I am.” Autumn shrugged.

“I feel awful. I’m so sorry.”

“You had no way of knowing. We had a deal,remember?”

Kate crossed her arms and held them againsther body. “Screw the deal.”

“Is that really how you feel? Is that whyyou’re back?” Autumn’s eyes searched hers.

“I’m back for you,” Kate said. She didn’thave words beyond those. She hadn’t gotten that far yet. When the adoption andwhat she thought was to be her future was taken off the table, she knew exactlywhere she wanted to be. Where she’d always wanted to be. She didn’t pause toanalyze it, or to question herself about her intentions, or what it meant inthe big scheme of things. She’d just driven.

“Yeah. You said that last night.” Autumnwatched her. “But what does that mean? There was a reason we said good-bye.What about those details? Our different trajectories.”

“I don’t know. I guess it justmeansthat I’m glad tobe standing here.”

But that didn’t seem to be enough for Autumn,who shook her head. “I get that part. The right now. But our lives, and allthat’s in them, are so very far apart. You live hours away and are on the vergeof sharing your life with two children. We should talk about where I fit intothose plans, if I even do.”

Kate kept her focus straight ahead as theywalked. “The adoption isn’t happening. The kids are going to live with theirmother. She’s decided to step up.”

“What?”

“Yeah. They were so excited when they heardthe news. Ren especially. He said she used to sing to him and rub his headwhile he fell asleep.” A moment passed. “I said good-bye to them yesterday.”

Autumn paused their walk and turned to Kate.“Are you okay with that?”

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