“Hey, there.” I offer him a polite smile.
“Looks like I came by at the wrong time.” He glances at the decorations around the room.
“That’s okay. Mia and Logan finally decided to tie the knot.”
“Please tell them I said congratulations.” He nods.
“I will.”
“I wanted to say goodbye,” he says before the awkward silence slips in. “I’m heading back to Australia. Another promotion.”
“That’s wonderful. Well done.”
He shifts his weight, exhales. “I didn’t want to leave without… closing things properly this time.”
My heart warms and aches at the same time. “Chad, you didn’t have to?—”
“I did.” He lifts a hand a little, then lets it fall. “I did. I also needed to apologize for what I did.Allof it. I didn’t plan to makeyour life harder. I just… didn’t know how to let you go. I held on too long. Longer than was fair to either of us.”
I swallow thickly. “It’s okay.I’mokay.”
“You look happy, Isla. You look happy with him.” He motions toward Knox.
“Iamhappy.”
His eyes brighten, and for once, there’s no accusation in them, no bitterness. Just truth. “Then I guess you made the right choice. I just needed to see before I go.”
Emotion crawls up my throat. “Thank you.”
His smile breaks, and sadness fills his eyes. “I’m not sure you’ll see me again, but I hope maybe one day, we can be friends. Like we once were.”
I step closer, not touching him, just letting him see I hear him. “I think so.” A lump forms in my throat. “I really hope you find happiness, too, Chad.”
He gives me a faint smile. “Thanks. I hope so, too.” He takes me in for another moment. “Take care of yourself, Isla.”
“You too.”
He nods once. And then he walks away, giving me the clean ending we never had before.
I stand there for a moment watching him leave through the door.
Then I can’t see him anymore.
The shuffle of footsteps behind me pulls me back.
I turn to find Knox staring at me, his expression curious but light at the same time. “Was that Chad I saw?”
“Yeah.”
“I certainly hope he’s not back to his old tricks.”
“No, he’s heading back to Australia. He came to say goodbye.”
Knox slips an arm around my waist, pulling me closer. “Are you okay?”
“Better than ever.” I smile up at him. “He said he wanted to see that I’d made the right choice before he left.”
“Did you?” he murmurs against my temple.
