“I’m sorry.” Julia squeezed Kat’s hand. “You’ve had a pretty crappy time of it too, and I’m making everything about me.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Kat ordered, squeezing back. “Tonight, everything should be about you. You need us. We’re here. There’ve been times when we’ve done the same for Andie, and plenty of times you’ve both done the same for me.”

“Exactly,” Andie declared. “We’re going to help you figure out how to pivot.” She sat down next to Julia. “If you could change anything in your life right now, what would it be?”

“If I could change one thing?” That was an excellent question. Julia contemplated possible answers, thoughts drawn to the hole in her heart, probing the weight and shape and depth of it. “The truth? I’d keep everything exactly the same as it is right now, except Luke would be here.”

“In my apartment?” Andie’s nose crinkled.

“How can you be so smart and still have a brain full of dandelion fluff?” Kat tsked, shaking her head. “She means here with her. In this city. Chicago.” Kat turned back to Julia. “Are you sure? Sometimes what you think you want turns out to be all wrong.”

Kat’s voice held a faint dash of bitterness, and Julia ached for her friend. “I hear what you’re saying, but I just want to talk to him.” The hole in her heart burned with the sting of regret. “I wish I’d stayed and listened to what he had to say when I had the chance.”

CHAPTER 30

LUKE

The July sun was bright overhead, shining down on the Notting Hill terrace. As the warmth seeped into his shoulders and back, Luke stirred, realizing it was already past noon. He logged off his laptop and twisted in his chair, stretching his spine. Over the past month or so, he’d established a new routine. Work on the plans for his start-up in the mornings, followed by a walk down to the lake. Then he’d have lunch with Pen and Jay and spend the afternoon helping solve any problems they might be having, either with the resort website or with the simulation software. In the evenings, he’d usually take another walk along the beach, mentally reviewing his notes from the day.

By all appearances, it was a pleasant, organized, simple life. But Luke recognized it for what it was—a holding pattern. Come fall, Penelope and Jay would be rolling out their new experiences at the resort and they wouldn’t need his help anymore. Truth be told, they really didn’t need him now. Pen and Jay made a great team.