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I shrugged. “Not everyone needs to be in a relationship, Lucas. I’m perfectly happy on my own.”
“Are you?” Amy asked gently. She sat next to me on the bed again. “I know you’ve been through so much these last few months. And I wasn’t here to help. You must have been lonely.”
I hugged myself around my waist. “I was fine. There are always more than enough people here. Hazel and Luna came to visit plenty before college started again.”
Amy nodded. She rubbed circles on my back in consolation. “Well, I’m here now. At least, for a little longer.”
I popped my head up. “What does that mean?”
Lucas cleared his throat. “We officially bought the house by the beach that we told you about.”
“When are you moving?” My voice was a little higher pitched than I expected.
Lucas and Amy glanced at each other. “Tuesday,” she finally answered.
My heart sank. I knew they were leaving, but I had grown used to their presence in my house. Minor things, like Lucas talking to my dad, or Amy being there for my complaints about dance moms were small ways to relieve my load. Their departure would leave a gaping hole.
“Well, we better make the most of your last few days here,” I said, putting on my brave, happy-go-lucky Ivy face.
I buried my feelings for Scott while I did my best to enjoy the last weekend Amy and Lucas were spending with my family. We spent the weekend packing, baking, playing video games with my parents, and even gardening outside. Together, we got caught up on all the work my dad wasn’t physically able to do anymore. I realized how much extra work would fall back on me now that they were leaving. Lucas promised he would come at least once a month to help, but I knew it wouldn’t be the same.
Scott texted a couple times. I didn’t respond. I didn’t trust myself to write back. He asked if we could talk, and I knew that if I did, he’d convince me to give it another try. I needed to be strong for my family. Being with Scott was making me too weak.
Between packing Lucas and Amy, helping my parents around the house, and working at the studio, Tuesday came before I knew it. I actually woke up at a decent hour of eight o’clock. I couldn’t sleep knowing that Amy was leaving. For some reason, it hit me a lot harder than when she got married or even when she left for Georgia. I always knew she’d be back. But now, it was permanent. She had her own home with her husband and wouldn’t be my roommate anymore. She wasn’t my other half; she was Lucas’s other half.
I wandered into the kitchen to the smell of my mom’s cinnamon rolls. She wanted to make something extra special for their last morning. Katy had already gone to school, so the rest of us had a nice breakfast together.
“Thank you both again so much for having us,” Amy said.
“It was our pleasure,” Mom responded. “I love when the house is alive with people. We’ve missed it.”
“In that case, we’ll be back,” Lucas grinned.
“I’m counting on it,” my dad replied, taking a swig of his milk.
“I want a tour of your beach house,” I chimed in.
My mom pointed her fork at me. “Yes. Me, too.”
Amy laughed. “Absolutely. We should be settled in the next few weeks, and we’ll have you all over for dinner.”
The doorbell rang, and I reluctantly left my breakfast to see who it was. A young woman was at the door with a giant bouquet of pink roses. My favorite.
“Flower delivery for Ivy Jones?” she said.
“Thank you,” I said, taking the flowers into my hands. I had a good feeling I knew who sent these.
I shut the door and leaned my back against it. I pulled the card from the bouquet and opened it.
Ivy,
I’m so sorry for everything. You mean so much to me. I only want to help. Please let me back in your life.
Scott
I took a shaky breath in, trying to decide how I felt about this gesture. Amy and Lucas appeared in front of me, heading to the front door with their suitcases. Amy took one glance at me and pushed Lucas through the door.
“Did Scott send those?” she asked softly.
