“I reached out to one of my friends in Oregon. Madeline. She’s coming to visit me.” I swallow, commanding the tears not to fall. “You were right. She understood everything, just like you said she would.”

This time when he smiles, it’s with his eyes. His entire face is warmth and softness. It makes my heart thud so hard, I’m scared it will fly out of my chest.

“I’m so happy to hear that.”

“Are you really? Happy, I mean.” The words fall out before I realize what I’ve said. But I want to know. I have to know. Even after all we’ve been through, after how things ended between us, Callum deserves to be happy. Everything in me hopes that he truly is.

There’s a slight twist to his expression that makes him look mildly pained. My heart lands in the pit of my stomach. He’s still hurt, still reeling. Because of me.

He sighs, eyes still on me “It’s been a bit rough since we . . . well, you know.” Clearing his throat, he drops his eyes to my sand-covered feet, then lifts them back up to my face. “Lemon and the kittens miss you.”

“I’m dying to see them and give them a cuddle.” I smile at the thought of them. “How are they?”

“Playful and curious. And always hungry. Lemon’s been a great mum, though, always keeping them in check.” Callum lets out a chuckle, his face turning joyful when he talks about them.

“Finn told me there are two boys and a girl.”

He nods. “You still have to help name them.”

I wonder how exactly we’ll figure out cat custody now that we’re over and he’s paired up with someone else. I’m about to bring it up when he speaks again.

“Congratulations by the way,” he says. “I know I left a comment on Instagram, but I never knew if you saw it, and I wanted to say it in person too.”

“Thank you. I did. You were so sweet to do that.”

His eyebrows wrinkle, concern painting his face. “I’m sorry for what I said to you at the festival, how dismissive I was. I was out of line. I know how much your work means to you, what it means for your mum. I always have. I just didn’t . . . I just wasn’t thinking straight in the moment. I was so caught up in my feelings at the time.”

At the time.

Of course. Because now everything has changed between us. He doesn’t feel the same way about me anymore.