Page 44 of Weekends with You

“But in the best way,” I said.

“Here we go, getting sappy around the holidays.”

“Margot, we’ve been over this. Stop pretending you don’t love us. Literally no one believes you,” Jan said.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m knackered,” Cal said through a yawn. “Thanks for a great weekend, Lucy. Happy New Year, everyone.”

We followed suit, bidding each other a Happy New Year as we passed around a bottle of ibuprofen. Raja and I were the last two lingering in the kitchen.

“What’d you write?” she asked once everyone else had left.

“If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

“It isn’t a birthday wish, you nut. Goals don’t work like that.”

“Fine. I’ll tell you if you tell me. Deal?”

“Duh.”

“I wrote that I want to be promoted at the shop. I’m not even sure to what, since the business is so small, but I’d like more responsibility. Renee claims she doesn’t want to burden me with the difficult stuff that happens behind the scenes, but I know I can handle it. And that I want to start taking on bigger events, even if it means I’m working on them alone.” Raja slung her arm around my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug, and a blush flared across my cheeks. “Oh, stop.”

“I’m really proud of you, Lu.”

“I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“But you’ve set a goal, and that’s sometimes the hardest part. And it’s good to see you putting yourself out there.”

“Perhaps I should’ve written that, too. It’s about time I was a bit more of a chancer, I think.”

“You know I’ll always support a little risk-taking.”

“You’re a really good friend, Raj, you know that?”

“Of course I do.” She beamed at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh at her.

“You’re crazy. What’d you write?”

“That I want to graduate in the spring with honors, obviously, then find a job at a Big Four consulting firm. I know I mentioned it last night like it was nothing, but it’s really everything.”

“I’m proud of you, too, Raj. You make school look so easy sometimes, but I know how hard you work. It’s going to pay off in a big way.”

“Hope so.”

“Know so.”

We pulled each other into another side hug, nuzzling our heads together. We’d both been so busy lately, the quiet moments we’d had together this weekend had really been a treat.

“Cheers to you,” I whispered.

“Cheers to me.”

We said good night and made our way to our rooms, giggling under our breath as we passed Liv’s room’s open door and empty bed, knowing she’d gone to cuddle Finn.

I was hoping sleep would find me a bit easier, but there was something to be said for staring at the ceiling long after everyone else has gone to sleep, contemplating what might lie ahead with little regard for what might have already happened.

If I was going to stick to my goal, I would have to focus. I would have to take risks. I would have to put myself out there and make it happen. And I would have to avoid wasting my time on Henry in the process. He had his goals, I had mine—they were not compatible, and that didn’t matter anymore. It was a new year.