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Heat creeps over my cheeks for some inexplicable reason, making it hard to make eye contact with her.

Which is not something I’m used to doing.

I’ve stared her in the eye and talked about everything from what to have for lunch to what toys are best to use, plus everything in between.

We don’t keep things from each other, we’re open books.

“I know, but it hits differently when a stranger says it.”

“Can you really call your therapist a stranger?”

I shoot Bryce a glare over the top of my wineglass while I take another long drink.

“Shutting up now.”

Even Josie sends a glare at her boyfriend before focusing back on me.

“Bryce’s point is that you and Joy have been working toward this the whole time you’ve been seeing her.

Moving to Columbia was supposed to be a chance for you to start over, to move on from Bianca, and the reign of terror she left behind. ”

The most annoying thing about heartbreak is that the worst moment of a relationship never fully overshadows the good ones.

I’m not grieving the relationship I lost; I’m grieving the one we could have had.

If she’d respected my wishes or called me the fuck back, what could have happened?

Would I even need to be here, hiding away from the life I escaped in Charlotte?

Hindsight tells me it never would have lasted.

I am used to working hard for the things I want in life, and she was far too used to her dad giving her everything she wanted, and more.

What I’ll never understand is why she had to target me. Why did she have to attack me so personally that I had to leave a job I loved? What had I done to her except love her? And why was it not ever enough?

Josie takes my silence as her sign to continue, reaching out to squeeze my hand. “I’m worried you’re holding yourself back. I’m not saying I want you to go out and jump on the first person who shows interest, but would it be so bad to go out and meet people who aren’t us?”

A snarky comment sits on the tip of my tongue, ready to come tumbling out. The two of them have completely stayed in their own little bubble. I mean, they have Carter and Katrina, but that’s Bryce’s best friend and his girlfriend. They aren’t building a community in the same way she wants me to.

Before I say anything, though, it hits me. They have their community. They brought it with them. I’m the only one on the outside—the one without a friend. Of course I have all of them separately, but they’re in a world I can’t access.

My stomach sinks as one of my worst fears unravels before me. I’m alone while they’re surrounded by people in the same situation.

I suddenly find myself wanting to run far, far away from this place.

Josie’s grip on my arm tightens, almost like she can hear the thoughts running through my head.

Then again, with the way our friendship works, maybe she can.

“Mia, I’m not sure that came out right. You know how much we all love you and want you around, but I don’t want you to believe you can’t have a life outside of us and Adair.

I mean, Katrina has her clients, and I have my writing group.

Bryce and Carter are far too codependent to ever stray far from one another. ”

I snort a small laugh out, knowing how true the statement is. I swear they follow each other around like lost puppies.

“Don’t be jealous of the bromance, ladies.” Bryce’s grin is broad as he lowers the temperature on the stove before coming over to join us at the table.

As he steals his girlfriend’s wineglass and takes a large drink, I allow myself to relax in this home. In the presence of the person who has always been there for me, and her boyfriend.

Josie rolls her eyes at him. “Please, Mia and I are so much better at friendship than you and Carter.”

“That’s only because you’re slowly stealing him away from me,” Bryce argues.

I grin at him over the rim of my wineglass. “And it’s not our fault he has good taste.” Bryce’s eye roll makes me grin wider, but then he’s leaning across the table with such a serious look on his face. I sink back in my chair. “Josie? What’s your boyfriend about to do?”

Josie leans over, her voice nothing more than a whisper. “I think he’s about to give you a motivational speech.”

Stunned at this turn of events, I have no choice but to look back at Bryce and wait for whatever’s about to come out of his mouth.

Nothing on this Earth could prepare me to hear a motivational speech on my love life, or lack of it, from Bryce Clark.

This is the man who spent years lying to himself, saying hooking up with my best friend was nothing more, but he also wasn’t messing around with anyone else.

Which is something that’s only come to light recently, but still.

What wisdom could he have to bestow on me?

“I know it’s not my place to say anything, but I think you need to listen to Josie and Joy.

I’ve always envied the easy confidence you seem to carry yourself with, but I also know what it’s like to project that into the world.

You do it to protect yourself, because you know opening up to someone means tearing that down a bit.

I know it’s terrifying, but trust me, it’s worth it in the end. ”

Well, shit.

“You’re in a new city that’s full of people who could be the one, but they’re not going to come to you,” he continues.

“You deserve to find someone who makes you happy. I never met Bianca, but I’m sure there was something there that had you falling, but it didn’t work out.

I’m not going to say it’s for the best or there’s a reason, but I am going to say you deserve to be treated better than that. I know you can find it. ”

I fight to keep my jaw from dropping open. Am I that transparent? And, more importantly, when did Bryce become so goddamn observant?

When I turn to look at Josie, she is beaming. “I told you there’s a lot more to him than just a dumb swimmer!”

“You called me a dumb swimmer?” Hurt colors Bryce’s tone, and he’s pouting slightly when I look back at him. “I graduated with honors, thank you very much.”

“I meant more in an emotionally stunted kind of way.” I shrug. The hurt deepens. I quickly amend, “But that was back then—before you came back in Josie’s life!”

He considers my words before sighing with a defeated nod. “That’s fair, I guess. Therapy is a wonderful, wonderful thing.”

“Except when it’s pushing you to step out of your comfort zone,” I grumble back.

His head tilts. “I disagree. I think it’s exceptionally wonderful when it does that.”

Ugh . I officially hate emotional growth when it’s being showcased by Bryce. What kind of sick twist of fate is this? When did this man, who is two years younger than me, become the emotionally mature one? I just…

The ring of the doorbell cuts me off mid-thought.

“That’d be Carter and Kat,” Josie reminds Bryce, who’s already standing.

“Look at that, Mia, my best friend actually uses the doorbell.” The door opens, and closes a second later, followed by Carter’s voice calling out. I arch a brow, a smirk tugging at my lips while Bryce groans. “At least he rang it first before coming in.”

“We’re in the kitchen!” Josie calls, before looking at me, and lowering her voice. “We’ll talk about this later? ”

“Mm-hmm,” is all I say before taking another large drink of my wine.

Carter and Kat walk into the room, already chatting a mile a minute.

I allow myself to be pulled into hugs and small talk, relaxing as I let go of the therapy session more and more.

Josie will want to bring it back up, but for now, I can pretend it didn’t happen.

I can be Mia and hang out with my friends, because there’s no way a dinner with the most important people in my life can possibly throw me another curveball.

Tomorrow, I’ll deal with the rest of my life. Tonight, I’ll let it be.