Page 85 of With a Cherry On Top

Her eyes soften a fraction. “Right. Because Aaron Coleman isn’t allowed to make mistakes.”

I open my mouth, then quickly close it, not sure what to say.

“Am I wrong? Your mom didn’t tell you about her condition for a whole year, and you stood by her side all night. Your wife left your daughter behind, yet she’s welcome to call. Hell, she blew you off yesterday, and if she asked you to bring Sadie over today, you’d do it without batting an eye. And your brother—he keeps you at a distance foryears, and you’re still here trying to fix your relationship.”

“What’s your point?”

“Why is everyone else allowed to make mistakes but you? You’re here, punishing yourself because...what? You had sex with the wrong person one time?”

“Not just the wrong person, Charlotte,” I say quietly. “My brother’s girlfriend.”

“Okay. Sure,” she says. “But can you honestly tell me you regret it? That you wish it never happened?”

“No. Of course not,” I admit. “Sadie?—”

“Forget Sadie for a second,” Charlotte cuts in, eyes blazing. “You’ve loved Josie since you were a kid.”

“I have.”

“Do you still love her?”

There’s no hesitation this time. “No. We tried. It didn’t work.”

“Right,” she says, like she’s unveiling something I’ve refused to see. “And you wouldn’t have known that if you hadn’t slept with her. If you hadn’t married her. You’d still be chasing the idea of her. And meanwhile, your brother would’ve married her instead of Primrose. Do you think he’d prefer that?”

“No, he’s happier than he’s ever been. But?—”

“So what you’re saying,” she says, stepping toward me, “is that everyone ended up better off because of what happened.”

“It still doesn’t mean it wasn’t a mistake.”

“Maybe not.” She stops in front of me, close enough that I can see the anger tightening in her jaw. “But here’s the thing: some mistakes youhaveto make. Because that’s the only way to know they were mistakes in the first place. And sometimes, the bigger mistake is not doing anything at all. Because then you’re just stuck. Wonderingwhat iffor the rest of your life.”

I blink at her.

“You keep crucifying yourself over the same thing, like if you punish yourself enough, you’ll never screw up again. Like you can earn some kind of immunity to being human.”

I don’t get it. Why is she so angry? “If that’s how you feel, then why did you shut me down last night?”

Her chin tilts up with pride. “Because I don’t want you to hide behind the shitty day you had, the hard time you’re going through. I want you to make a choice, even if it’s a mistake.”

I can’t afford making a mistake so bad it hurts everyone around me. Losing the respect of everyone who means something to me. Of myself.

“You don’t get it. I have responsibilities, people who count on me. Sadie, and?—”

“You’re living your life like your only job is damage control, Aaron,” she insists. “Like if you collect enough points, you’ll finally earn everyone’s forgiveness. Everyone’s love.”

I swallow hard, my head pounding. She’s wrong. She has to be.

“You know what I think?” she says quietly. “I think your brother moved on, Josie moved on, and yet you’re still there, waiting for everyone’s permission to do the same.”

My breaths fan out fast, my chest tight. “Enough, Charlotte.”

“I think you’re so scared of being the villain in someone else’s story that you forgot how to be the hero in your own.”

She doesn’t understand. People love to romanticize unconditional love, but that’s just a Hollywood fantasy. Real relationships aren’t about blind devotion; they’re about balance. A constant give-and-take where both people show up, put in the effort, and work through the hard parts together. Love isn’t a promise—it’s a choice, made over and over again.

And now it’s my time to choose Logan. Amelie. Ian.