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it to me right now.”
    “That’s not true,” I argued, but a part of me wondered if she was right. I had never truly let go of what Katherine had done to me over ten years ago, and the pain and anger has stayed with me all this time.
    “Even if it’s not true, even if you could move on from your anger for Katherine and be okay that she’s my sister, I’m not sure I can move on from the fact that she’s your ex.”
    I wanted to tell her that I loved her, but fear held me back. I could tell from the expression on her face that she’d made up her mind.
    “Maybe it’s not meant to be.” Her voice was soft and pained.
    My chest constricted and I found it hard to breathe. A heaviness was in the air as we stared at each other in the still, tense silence. There was nothing left to say.
    Finally she broke the trance between us and kissed me gently on the cheek. “Goodbye, Dean,” she whispered in my ear, and I felt her hot tears wet my face.
    Unimaginable pain paralyzed me and I couldn’t seem to speak. My stomach lurched with regret and agony as I watched as she walked out of my life.
     

EPILOGUE
    Dean
     
    THREE YEARS LATER
     
    Today was a day I’d been waiting for as long as I could remember. It was a day I’d dreamt about for so long. It was a day I’d worked my ass off for during the past eight years.
    Today, I became a partner at William & Sutter LLP.
    I had once thought that when today came, I’d have everything I’d ever wanted.
    I would feel elated.
    I would feel proud.
    I would finally be the happiest person in the world.
    But I was wrong. I’d never felt more empty than I had today.
    It was early evening and I’d left my celebration party early. It was hard to smile and laugh when I felt none of it. When I made partner today, I finally realized that it wasn’t the thing I wanted the most in life.
    I was ready to go home, so I walked aimlessly around the city, watching all the happy people pass me by. I envied them.
    I blinked and realized that I was in a grocery store. I wasn’t sure how I got here, but there I was, standing in front of a stand of peaches. Suddenly, a figure with long chestnut curls ahead caught my eye.
    When I looked toward the figure, my chest tightened. Her back was turned to me, but   I knew it was her. I saw the infinity tattoo on her wrist and I could smell a hint of her light floral perfume in the air.
    The sight of her made my heart soar with more joy and happiness than I’d ever felt.
    “I’m sure yours taste a lot juicier than those peaches,” I said, loud enough for her to hear.
    She froze. After a few agonizing seconds, she turned around to face me. She smiled, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
    “Hi, Dean.”
    “Oh God, Blair, it’s so great to see you.”
    “You too, Dean. You look great, too.”
    The moment I’d seen her, I knew that I needed her in my life, I knew I needed to tell her everything. Then I had a thought.
    “Hey, I’ll be right back! Give me 30 seconds. Promise me, you’ll stay right here, okay?”
    “Okay, sure.” She nodded, her brows furrowed with confusion.
    I ran to a nearby section of the store and seconds later back by her side.
    “These are for you.” I handed her a bouquet of wild flowers. “I hope they’re still your favorite.”
    “You still remember.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at me.
    “Blair, I’ve missed you so much,” I blurted out. “I know it’s unlikely and unreasonable to expect that you’re still single or even willing to give me a chance, but letting you walk out of my life that day has been my biggest regret, the worst mistake of my life, and the one thing I’d give anything to change. I know that I should have fought for you harder, fought for us harder. I’ve lost three years of my life without you in it—that’s 1,095 days I’ve lived with a hole in my heart. If I could do it all over again, I would have