“I’ll be in touch, girls.” McKenzie strolled toward the door but turned before exiting. “For what it’s worth, Louisa, I think he really did love you.”

Louisa bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. It must be really bad if McKenzie Palmer was being nice to her.

“Thanks, McKenzie.” Ally opened the door and practically pushed the other woman out. She turned back and faced Louisa, who couldn’t keep the tears inside for another moment.

“Oh, Lou,” Ally said. “I’m so, so sorry.”

It was stupid. She knew it was stupid. Of course he’d requested a transfer—he never wanted to be there in the first place. But knowing he was already gone—it felt like he couldn’t get away from her fast enough.

He’d left without a single word. Just like last time.

She wiped her cheeks dry, but the tears kept falling. Ally reached across the desk and took Louisa’s hands. “Ice cream?”

Louisa took a deep breath. “I guess so. Tomorrow is my birthday, after all.”

But the words only made everything worse.

Her golden birthday. Their golden birthday. She’d already written out her wish—only one this year—which was pointless. She couldn’t go to Brant Point. She couldn’t show up and find that he hadn’t—it would destroy her.

She’d been holding on to that shred of hope, and even though it was foolish and wrong, a part of her still wanted to believe they lived in a world where they could be together. But clearly that had been a misguided wish, the kind she might’ve made as a teenage girl with no experience in matters of the heart.

She wasn’t that girl anymore.

It was time to say goodbye—for real this time—to any notion that her life might ever coincide with the life of Cody Boggs.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

AFTER FOUR DAYS IN HIS MOM’S APARTMENT, Cody boarded a plane. Spending time with her had made it clear what he needed to do.

His flight was short, but it felt like an eternity, his mind racing with what to say and what not to say. His palms turned clammy the second the plane landed.

He grabbed his carry-on and made his way off the plane, out of the terminal, and onto the street, where he caught his Uber. As they drove, he replayed his planned-out speech for the thousandth time.

At his stop, he pulled his bag out of the car and slung it over his shoulder, looked at the house, and inhaled a deep breath. Now or never.