Josh pulls me into his arms. I breathe in that familiar earthy tone of his and it helps ground me when everything else in my life feels up in the air.

“Just know that I love you and Amelia. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy and for all of us to be together. Wherever we end up.”

I bury my face in his neck, unable to speak for the moment.

“Mummy,” Amelia calls from her room where she’s been playing.

I look up, and Josh palms my cheek. “Go and see what our daughter wants. I’ll be right here.”

He kisses me with so much tenderness, all it does is make it worse.

How am I going to go without this? Even for a little while?

Forty-Two

Delaney

I feel so empty when Josh leaves.

The move he’s making is so good for him—for us, but I still have a business and a job to do. Melly still has school. We have our lives to get on with while I make the biggest decision of my life.

“Delaney.” Pania’s voice knocks me out of my thoughts. I’ve barely paid attention since Josh left a week ago, and I screw up my face as the smell of burning pancake hits me.

Flames leap up in front of my eyes.

The pan’s on fire.

“Shit.”

I pull the pan off the burner and drop it in the sink. It hisses as I pour cold water on it, copious amounts of steam filling the room.

“What are you doing? You never burn anything.”

I frown. “Well, apparently today I’m making up for lost time.”

Pania grasps my arm. “Breathe, girl. Breathe. It’s Josh, isn’t it?”

I nod. “I keep thinking about how good it was when he was here. We were all happy, and now I just feel lost.”

She wraps her arms around my shoulders. “You’re in love with him, Delaney. It’s only natural.”

“But I’m letting you down.”

She lets go of me, meeting my gaze and scanning my expression. I know this woman, and I know she has something to say.

“Spill it, Pania.”

“It’s just … this whole thing with you telling me about how Josh is following his dream and doing his own thing? I decided I should do the same.”

I’m so confused. “I thought cooking was your thing.”

“It was. But I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much I also wanted to learn fashion design, so I applied to go to design school next year.”

My mouth falls open. “Wow.”

“I know it might feel like I’d be leaving you in the lurch, but—”

I shake my head. “No. It’s wonderful. You’re such a talented dressmaker, but this could really help you build a career in it.”

She smiles. “Well, someone has to design your dresses for the red carpet.”