“Hey,” I get out with a mouthful of her hair. “You smashed my apology.”

She pulls back, glances down at the roses, and then kisses me. I guess that means apology accepted. Points for Sydney.

Inside her house, we sit on the couch in the living room. It’s a nice place, homey, well taken care of, lots of photos of Amelia and her sister, Beth. Her close relationship with her sister is one of the things we bonded over. Family is important to us.

And my sister and girlfriend get along, so that’s a bonus. I brought Amelia home with me for a quick trip to celebrate my parents’ anniversary and Tara quickly befriended her.

“I’m really sorry about last night. Sydney was bummed about her shoulder, and I offered to stay before I thought it through.”

“It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re here now, and we’ll have more time this summer just the two of us.”

Slowly, I nod. “Yeah, that’s what Sydney said.”

“Really?” Her brows furrow together. “I’m surprised she hasn’t found a way to invite herself along to the lake.” I don’t understand the bitterness in her tone. Sydney’s always been great to her.

“Come on, Sydney doesn’t do that.”

Amelia pauses waiting for… something.

“She doesn’t,” I insist.

“Oh my god, you’re totally oblivious.”

“To?”

“Sydney is in love with you.”

“No, she isn’t. I’ve told you before, we’ve only ever been friends. It isn’t like that between us.” Minus one hot kiss, but this is not the time to bring that up. I tried full-on honesty with the first girlfriend I had after Sydney and I became friends, and that just made her that much more leery.

“You’re blind.”

“No, I’m not. Listen, we actually talked last night about giving each other some space so it would make you more comfortable. Sydney is on your side. Whose idea do you think it was to bring roses?”

“So…” She pauses, deep in thought. “You told Sydney you wanted some space, for us? And she was cool with it?”

“The whole thing was her idea. She said she wants us to be happy.”

I wait for the relief to show on her face, maybe a smile. Instead she looks sad.

“This isn’t going to work.”

Well, that’s unexpected. “What are you talking about?”

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it,” she mumbles under her breath. She gets to her feet and I follow her, not realizing we’re at the front door and she’s seeing me out until we’re standing in the entryway. “All this time I thought it was Sydney that was in love with you, but it’s the other way around, isn’t it?”

My brain is tripping along trying to catch up.

Amelia crosses her arms over her chest. “You’re in love with Sydney.”