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“Shut up.”

“No, I’m serious. Do you love him, Addy?”

I nod, peeking up at her. “Yeah, I really, really do.”

She squeals and claps her hands, almost bouncing in her seat. “Oh, this is so perfect!”

“No, it’s not. When I tell him everything, he might not want me anymore.”

Her face falls, and she scowls at me. “Why on earth wouldn’t he want you anymore just because of your mom?”

“It’s hereditary, Em. In twenty-five years, I could be exactly where my mom is, and he could regret ever being with me.”

“Oh, sweetie, now I am going to hug you.” She stands and leans over the bed, doing her best to give me a hug without hurting me too much.

“Listen to me, falling and being in love is scary – no matter what you’ve got going on in your life. But even if in twenty-five years, your brain is complete mush, he’ll still treasure every single day that he did get with you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do, Addy, but you’ll never know that I’m right if you don’t take the leap.”

I nod as I replay the words Trey said before he left about making a leap. If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t done that up until now, and I can blame whoever I want, but the truth is that each time I tried to open up to Trey, the words got stuck in my throat, and I let the moment pass. I just hope that if I decide to go to him like he said, I won’t let it happen again.