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Now I knoe have enough to light the world on fire, but it’s still not enough

The worst part is, I wouldn’t take it back, a single second I could wish it had never happened at all, except that would be a lie: I’d do it all over again, even this pain here, right now Just to have shared that moment with hi he wanted, finally his

Onewe could be real, that’s all I had

And that’s all you’ll ever have

I hugthe pain

"Are you cold? Is the air too high?" Daniel glances over "I have a sweater if you need"

I shake my head quickly "I’m fine," I lie, even asnow," Daniel checks the GPS "Thirty, forty minutes maybe We’ll be there before noon, plenty of ti"

"Thanks," I s back a treacherous sob "For getting the car, and everything You didn’t have to"

"It’s nothing," Daniel gives a casual shrug, like driving hours out of his way is no big deal "I needed to do so cooped up in that hotel roo cooped up with me

I feel another stab of misery "Don’t worry," I joke, deadpan "Once you drop ain"

"I didn’t …" Daniel starts "That’s not what I ain "I’et there"

I pretend to sleep for the rest of the way to Beachwood Bay, until finally the coastal highway hits the sleepy town It looks perfect and peaceful under a blanket of snow: the boats tied up in the harbor, bobbing white against the slate grey waves We drive down Main Street, past shuttered stores, and white-picket front yards, and the Christmas tree lit up in the square Finally, the ache in my chest eases, just a little, replaced with a sense of awe at the surroundings

"It’s beautiful here," I breathe,froirl," Daniel reree, "But look around, and tell ives a cursory glance out of the"Sure," he agrees, but his voice is tight, and then I remember: to him, Beachwood Bay isn’t just an adorable vacation town, it’s the place he lost Juliet--and where she’s hours away fro married No wonder he doesn’t seem happy to be back here

It strikes me suddenly that he didn’t have to make the trip at all Hell, ould want to show up this close to his ex’s wedding? He could have given ht himself, he didn’t have any reason to coulp Maybe he still has feelings for Juliet Maybe he can’t help but want to see her one last tiood

The thought sinks through h, now I know, to Daniel, I’ll never coood, sweet, de in the world won’t change that

We turn up the winding coastal road, the ocean visible through the screed of cedar trees that line the dunes, and I do ether By the ti under the tires, I’uess the party’s already started," Daniel notes, as we find a spot to park The drive is full of an assort up with Christ out across the bay It’s a vacation hoenerations She and Emerson don’t live here anymore, not really: they have an apartment in the city, and now that Emerson’s little sister, Brit, has moved in with her fiancé, the place is unoccupied But when it ca site, Juliet was deteran, and it means the world to her to start the new chapter in their lives here too

"Lacey!" Juliet’s delighted scream echoes as the front door opens and she hurtles down from the holly-decked porch She sprints across the lawn to meet me, dressed in jeans and a sweater and boots, but with her hair and"Youher back hard "I know II could do Don’t hate ?" Juliet pulls back, her cheeks pink and excited under her pretty braided updo "I’ et married without my best friend"

"I heard that!" A female voice calls out from the second-floor , and a moment later, Juliet’s sister-in-law-to-be, Brit, sticks her head out "Hey you! And I wouldn’t be bugging you if you’d sit still long enough to set your ain, grinning "I’hts wouldn’t start up for hours"