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He allowed himself a moment to consider that, his eyes darting between the kitchen and me. “She makes you happy, and it seems like you do the same for her. Again, I’ll say I don’t know how you did it, but you found a catch.”

I puffed up my chest proudly. None of my brothers had experienced the same level of success in a relationship as I had with Layla. I felt extraordinarily lucky. “I’m going to do it after we graduate.”

Cooper’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “What? That’s insane.”

“Is it? Why?” I countered.

“You’re so young.”

“And? She’s the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with. Everything has been so much fun with her, andI feel good when I’m around her. It’s been on my mind for a while, but ever since we’ve been here, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

We were on our winter break from school, and I’d invited Layla to join my family this year at Keystone Mountain for our ski trip. She was so excited; she’d practically tackled me to the ground when I’d asked.

And we’d been having a blast since we arrived. Layla hadn’t ever gone skiing or snowboarding, so I’d spent the last two days giving her lessons. Despite repeated failed attempts at snowboarding and only marginally better success at skiing, Layla had been such a good sport. She kept trying, no matter how many times she fell. But I expected nothing less from her. If Layla set her mind to something, she didn’t back down from it, no matter how hard it was.

“But…don’t you think it’d be better to wait?”

“No. What would I be waiting for? We’ve already been together for over three years at this point. She gets along great with our sisters. She’s especially close with Jules. Mom and Dad like her. I haven’t heard any complaints from you, Wyatt, or Tate about her. And I love her. There’s nobody else for me. Why would I prolong this?”

“Have you told Mom and Dad?”

“Not yet. But I will.”

Cooper still seemed so concerned. “Are you planning to do this on the day you graduate?”

I laughed. “Relax. I’m not that crazy. I haven’t settledon an exact date, but I’m going to wait until after her birthday in June.”

The sounds of more laughter floated into the room, and both Cooper and I looked out to where it was coming from. Ivy and Ava had joined the mix.

Something warm hit the center of my chest as Layla talked animatedly with my sisters and Ava. For the rest of my life, I was going to have her by my side. Nothing would ever top that.

When I looked back at Cooper, he admitted, “Alright, I see your point. Congratulations, Liam.”

“Thanks, Cooper.”

I was so confident about it all, I never asked him to wish me luck.

Maybe I should have.

Because six months later, I got the shock of a lifetime.

7

LIAM

Bone-chilling cold.

It might have been the start of summer, but I couldn’t have guessed that to be the case. The cold that had seeped into my body was a stark contrast to the day’s earlier weather and my former state. If anything, I’d been suffering with sweaty palms and clammy skin with the nerves I’d been experiencing ahead of this disastrous evening.

I hadn’t even believed I had any reason to feel nervous.

I’d been confident. I’d been sure this would be the best day of my life.

How could I have been so wrong?

What had I missed?

She left me. Layla left me.