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There were so many things she could’ve said. So many things shewantedto say. So many pent up words of anger.

But they didn’t matter. They could’ve seen and experienced the exact same things, and still, they would’ve looked at it differently.

Like two people staring at a freshly painted wall, one seeing red, and the other seeing blue.

Sam let her eyes fall to the ground as she let out a deep breath. One that felt like it’d been held in since the first moment they’d seen each other again.

“I guess we both wanted things the other one had,” she said quietly.

Liz’s gaze softened slightly, as if she’d been expecting a different response. She looked away, clenching her jaw. “Yeah,” she said, the word clipped. “I guess so.”

Then Liz stopped, her eyes suddenly widening as they flicked past Sam to somewhere behind her.

Sam turned, following her gaze to where Jess stood in the doorway.

Chapter twenty-four

Jess stood there, frozen, her face a mix of surprise and confusion. “Liz,” she said slowly. “What are you..”

Liz took one tentative step toward her. “We need to talk,” she said in a shaky, pleading voice. “Please.”

Sam watched Jess’ expression carefully as the confusion grew. But she just stared silently back at her.

Liz threw a nervous glance at Sam, as if silently begging for her to leave them to talk in private.

Sam was about to look at Jess, to see what she wanted, if she wanted her to leave them, but before she could, her phone began buzzing in her pocket.

She looked down with a frown, seeing Caleb’s name on the screen.

“I have to take this,” she said, casting a quick glance at Jess, who looked back at her with a blank, still confused stare. “I’ll be right back.”

She strode to the front doors, pushing them open and stepping out into the chilly evening air.

Then she swiped the phone open, holding it to her ear. “Now's not a good time—”

“Did you see Howard’s email?” he cut in immediately.

She stopped mid-step. “No. I’m not exactly trying to work during the wedding,” she growled, unable to contain the annoyance. She turned, glancing back through the window into the entry area where Jess and Liz still stood, now closer together. “Why?”

“He sent the details on when their lawyer will be here with the paperwork,” he said quickly. “It’s tomorrow morning.”

“What?” Sam asked, releasing a frustrated breath. “I can’t—”

“I know, I know,” he interjected. “But is there any way you can come back late tonight to be here in the morning?”

She shook her head in frustration.

This was the outcome she’d been catapulting toward for what seemed like ages. And now that it was finally happening, it suddenly felt like it was all moving too fast. Like she barely had time to think through one step before the next had already come and gone.

“No.”

Caleb was quiet for a moment, probably too stunned by the answer she’d never really given him before.

“No?” he asked, confusion thick in his voice. “But, what about—”

“Caleb,” she gritted through clenched teeth. “I don’t care what you have to tell him. But I’m not leaving my friend’s wedding early just because he wants it to happen tomorrow.”

He fell quiet again, but she didn’t care. She didn’t care what he was thinking. This was one time she wouldn’t give in to the urgent demands and needs of anyone else.