"So, tell us everything," Sydney said that evening. The three of us were gathered in Brena's basement and lounging on the large sofa bed while eating pizza. From the airport, Brena and Jared had driven me to their townhouse and Sydney met us there.

"Well, I'm home," I replied, taking a swig of my lemonade. "I don't really know what else to tell you."

"We want to know about Fionn," she urged. "I know things ended weird with you two, but c'mon. Anything?"

Brena elbowed our friend and shot her a glare. "Syd, you seriously need to work on controlling that mouth of yours."

"No, no it's ok." I sighed. "Fionn was wonderful and perfect and everything I desired in a boyfriend. He made me feel special. Heard. Wanted." I twirled the claddagh ring on my finger. "But it's because of me that it's over."

"He was a good guy, Em." Brena rested her hand on my knee.

"Yeah." I swiped away at the tears forming in my eyes. Not wanting to ruin the mood of spending time with my two best friends, I forced a smile. "Anyway, enough about him. Scotland is beautiful in the winter. The architecture, the literature. It's all so amazing and I still can't believe I get to go back to study it."

Sydney grinned. "This writing program is going to be fantastic for you, chica. I know it is."

"Knock, kno—ow!" Jared groaned, rubbing his forehead as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs. A loud thunk sounded when he hit his head against the low part of the ceiling.

"You ok, babe?" Brena asked.

Jared pouted. "Yeah. I brought down some ice cream for you ladies. I'll just, uh, go put it in the freezer. Or maybe keep it for my head."

"Aw." Brena scrambled to her feet and walked over to her fiance. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his head. "Better?"

He smirked. "Much. Thank you." He passed her the ice cream, and she went to put it in the freezer.

Jared started for the stairs again but I ran after him.

"Jay, can I talk to you for a sec?"

He nodded. "Sure."

I left my friends and followed Jared up the stairs to the kitchen. "I need to know something. Ab-about Kyle."

"Oh." He hopped up onto one of the bar stools. "What about him?"

"When we were in college, did he ever...I don't know. Did he ever bring back a girl to his room who, you know, wasn't me? After we started dating, that is."

"No, never. Not that I can remember anyhow." Jared frowned. "What's this about, Em?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just...I wanted to know if I've been blind to Kyle's crap for the past eight years or if maybe I wasn't giving him what he wanted or...I don't know. I mean, he's the one who proposed. Why would he propose and then cheat on me like that?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Jared wrapped me into his embrace, gently brushing his fingers over my back. "Emilie, the guy was an asshole. Hell, I don't even know why I was friends with him half the time. But what he did to you, no one deserves that. You didn't do anything. Kyle wasn't thinking."

"No, actually I think for the first time he was." I sniffed and wiped at my eyes. "He was thinking that he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with me afterall."

"Em, Kyle is an idiot," Jared said.

"I'm the idiot," I mumbled. "I had a good thing going with Fionn and I just destroyed it for no good reason. Do you think it's possible that I can't find myself a boyfriend?"

"You absolutely can and you have. From everything you've told us, Emilie, I really do think Catriona had your best interests in mind. She got you to Scotland because she knew you'd fall for the city. But you fell for Fionn all on your own. Love is unpredictable sometimes." Jared ran a hand through this hair.

I sighed. "You're right. I hope I haven't ruined my chances with him."

"You're pretty hard to forget, Em. I'd say, if I had to bet on it, Fionn's feelings for you aren't just going to go away overnight. And you'll be back in Scotland soon anyway, right?"

"Well yeah, but—"

Jared popped the cap off of his beer. "If you both truly love each other, you'll find your way back. And if he doesn't see what he's missing, that's entirely his loss because no man in his right mind would ever give you up and not regret it."

"Thanks, Jay. Seeing you and Brena together, it's always reaffirmed my belief in love. What you two have..."

"Aw, come on now. Save the sappy for the wedding," he teased.

I playfully swatted his arm. "Anyway, thanks."

He nodded. "Anytime. Now, go join the girls before I get scolded for stealing you away."

***

As I dug around for my pajamas before bed that night, my fingers hovered over an oversized t-shirt in my suitcase. It was one of Fionn's shirts. I must've accidentally brought it with me in my hurried packing. It smelled like him and I wanted that comfort, so I slipped it on over my head and breathed in the scent of pine and cinnamon.

I missed him so much.

Jared was right; I was going back to Scotland soon. I was going to have the chance to make things right between us again if he wanted me.

I slipped on the t-shirt, letting it pool around my body before making my way back to my friends who had each donned their own sets of pajamas.

"Cute shirt," Sydney commented, tying back her hair and reaching for her half-empty bottle of Jamaican Me Happy.

"Thanks." I looked down at the hem. "I think it actually belonged to Fionn."

Brena smirked and raised her drink. "His loss. And I don't just mean the shirt." She bumped me with her hip.

I smiled. "Thanks, Bren."

"Okay, so tell me what I missed while I was in Scotland," I said, reaching for the last slice of pizza.

Sydney shrugged. "Not much to report here. It's just been the same old."

"Not true," Brena piped up. She bumped Sydney with her leg. "Tell her, Syd."

My gaze ping-ponged between the two of them. It wasn't unusual for my friends to keep secrets from me but usually they were the harmless kind. "What is it?"

My friend sighed. "Bren, it's not a big deal." She turned to me. "You know how when I'm not at the coffee shop I'm at the dance studio?"

"Yeah." The pizza crust crinkled between my fingers as I bit into it.

"Well, I was approached by an agent," she explained, "and he offered me a job. In California."

"Wait, seriously? Sydney, that's amazing!" I leaned over and hugged her. "What's the job?"

Sydney blushed. In all the years I'd known my best friend, she'd never blushed. "It's working with a dance company to train younger dancers and even compete professionally in pairs work. It's...it's what I've been dreaming of my entire life."

"Sydney!!!" I squealed.

Brena and I tackled our friend with hugs. The pull-out sofa bed creaked and groaned beneath our combined weight.

"Oh come on guys, it's not that big of a deal!" Sydney said, still laughing.

"Yes it is!" I took a breath, regaining my balance on the bed and bouncing on my knees. "Syd, you've wanted this for years and now you have a perfect opportunity."

"You're right, I do." Sydney tucked her dark hair behind her ears. "And you have it, too. The perfect opportunity, that is."

I fixed my gaze on a spot of lint on the blanket wrapped around my shoulders. "Sydney—"

"I'm being serious, Emilie." She planted her hands on my arms and looked me square in the eye. "Look, I know the last thing you want to do is talk about Fionn and I respect that, I do. But sulking over the fact that things ended when you're literally going back to the country where he lives..." She looked over at Brena who sighed.

"Em, I love you. But Sydney is right," my best friend said. Her brown eyes scanned over my face. "We want you to be happy."

"I am, I will be happy," I said. And I meant it. No more sulking. Fionn had been the best thing to ever happen to me. Jared was right. My friends were right. If it were meant to be, we'd find our way back to each other.