“Or more than friends,” Amy’s voice cuts in from behind us as she steps out onto the balcony. “There’s nothing wrong with letting things happen the way they’re meant to.” There’s a chiding tone in her voice that I’ve never heard before, and I have to admit … Ilikethis version of Amy. She’s a boss.
“You act like I’m standing in the way of fate.” He rolls his eyes. “That’s not how life works.”
“Who says that?” Amy folds her arms across her chest. “Because you tell me all the time thatwewere meant to be.”
“But that’s us.” Parker hums. There’s an innocence in his voice, but there’s also something that starts to sound a lot like realization. “We’re different.”
Amy narrows her eyes. “Says who?”
“Says me,” he retorts.
I sigh, already seeing where this is going. “I don’t really want to get in the middle of a debate about soulmates.”
“This isn’t a debate,” Amy and Parker both say simultaneously, their voices in perfect unison.
Yeah, they aredefinitelysoulmates.
“Uh-huh, okay…” My voice trails off and my eyes drift toward the beach, where I spot a cute dog galloping along in the sand, and a guy who looks a lot like Weston chasing him.
And my heart skips a beat at the sight.
As I rip my eyes away from him, I realize I’ve missed more of the heated debate between Parker and Amy. I can’t help but laugh at the two of them.
“You owe him an apology,” Amy snaps. “You know you do. He’s your best friend, and he’s put a lot of effort into your relationship—being there when other people weren’t. You can’t help who you fall for, and hetriedto do exactly what you asked.”
“He could’ve had anyone he wanted. I just asked that he not have my sister.” Parker is nearly pouting at this point.
“But Wes is agoodguy, and no one knows that better than you.” Amy is on fire now, and I can’t say that I’m not rooting for her. “Just go talk to him.”
I watch as my big brother stands to his feet and lets out a big sigh, looking right at me. “You’re right,” he says. “I’m sorry for trying to control what you do with your heart—that’s wrong of me. And if you’re ready to be with someone, then you should. You shouldn’t wait on my approval. I’m sorry.”
I give my brother a soft smile. “I know you’ve always just tried to watch out for me, and I appreciate it.”
He nods, then slips from the room, leaving Amy and me on the balcony. We remain quiet until the door of the bedroom closes. Then, we both let out a heavy sigh.
“Don’t let your brother stop you from following your heart,” Amy says finally, meeting my gaze.
I shake my head slightly. “It’s not my brother. It’s me.” I hesitate, then force the words out. “I was so scared of losing myself again that I pushed Weston away.”
Amy stays quiet, letting me process.
“With Cal, I disappeared,” I continue softly. “So, when Weston didn’t make me feel like that—when he felt easy instead of consuming—I panicked. I told myself I was being smart, careful. But really … I was just running.”
Her expression softens. “And now?”
“And now I think I might’ve pushed away the one person who actually let me be myself.” My throat tightens. “I’ve never connected with someone the way I have with Weston. Not without feeling like I had to become someone else.”
Amy glances out toward the beach. “It doesn’t sound like he took anything from you,” she says quietly. “It sounds like he met you where you already were.”
The extra thump in my chest isn’t nerves this time.
It’s resolve.
“I don’t want to miss out on this,” I admit.
And I know exactly what I need to do.
Chapter Thirty-One
