I smile. “Jace told me about your ex. I admire how you came back from that.”

Her smile drops as she presses her lips together. It’s like fun, happy Lucy is gone, and I find myself scared of the Lucy who is twirling a pen in her hand. Looking up at me, she shrugs. “Yeah, thanks. He’s a sore subject. I was young and stupid when I met him. I fell and it went badly, but I learned from my mistakes. That’s what you do. You learn and you grow from your past. It’s taken me a long time to learn that. Now that I have, I’m in a better place.”

I don’t say anything as I stare into her pain-filled eyes. I know that I don’t know even half of what happened—I’m sure Jace doesn’t even know—but Lucy’s eyes show it. She may not have physical scars, like I do, from her past, but she has scars nonetheless. That dude did a number on her, and still, she lived her dreams. She’s moved on; she’s a great mom and a great sister. She doesn’t want anything but to succeed, and I want that more than anything.

“I want to be just like you when I grow up,” I admit and she laughs out loud.

“What? You’re crazy! I’m a mess.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “You’re remarkable. Really, a great mom, a successful business owner, a great sister and daughter—you’re superawesome.”

She waves me off. “Hardly, but thank you. You know I have my demons, Avery. Everyone does, but you just gotta grow from them.”

“I hear ya,” I say and I do. I need to grow.

“Now, if I can only apply that logic to relationships, I’d be great.”

I smile. “Trouble dating?”

She shrugs. “I have trust issues, obviously. And also, I don’t want to bring anyone around her,” she says, nodding her head toward Angie. “It’s not only how I feel about someone, it’s about how she feels.”

“Yeah,” I say, tucking a curl behind Angie’s ear. She grins at me and then goes back to work.

“One day, though,” she says softly. “I think. I don’t know.” She laughs. “I’m getting used to be alone, but I want to have that one person who gets me. Who holds me at night, and no matter how bitchy I’m being or how bad my day is, his kiss will make it all go away.” I exhale with a grin on my face as her lips curve in somewhat of a smile. “You know all about that. I see how you two look at each other.”

My cheeks warm as I shrug. “He’s great.”

“He is,” she agrees. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly, and he loves with all his heart. No sixteen-year-old wants to babysit a baby, but Jace did, and he did it perfectly. But he’s loyal to a fault, which is why we are all so worried about my dad and him.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “We’ve talked about that a lot. That came up today after he told me he’s declining in hockey.”

She rolls her eyes. “He’s insane.”

“That’s what I said.”

“Good, and believe me, I don’t want to sound like one of those crazy, overprotective sisters, but…” She pauses when I meet her gaze. Her eyes are dark, serious, and a little bit of fear settles in my stomach as she holds my gaze. “He is my favorite, really, and I would do anything for him. So please don’t make me kill you, because you seem like a great girl and Angie loves you. But if you hurt him, I will be that crazy, overprotective sister everyone is afraid of.”

I don’t want to smile, but I can’t help it because it’s just all so amazing and cute. Jace is so lucky. Nodding my head, my lips curving, I say, “I won’t hurt him.”

“Good, and he won’t hurt you. Believe me. He won’t.”

“I hope you’re right.”

She gives me a deadpan look. “I’m always right.”

“My uncle Jude says she isn’t, though,” Angie pipes up and that has us both laughing as Angie giggles along with us.

I’m glad I came.

But most of all, I hope she is right.

Because I can’t handle being hurt again.

I wake to the sound of someone climbing into my bed.

Alarmed, I sit up quickly just as Avery pauses, a grin on her face as she looks at me. “Hey, just me, killer.”

Letting out the breath I was holding, I reach for her and she falls on me, an airy giggle leaving her sweet lips. I nuzzle into her chest, and she wraps her arms around my head as I close my eyes. “Hey.”

“Have a good nap?”

“Yeah,” I admit and it really was. I feel recharged, like I could take on anything. But then, I could probably sleep until tomorrow with no problem at all. I got lucky because Markus had to go out to dinner with his dad, so there were no distractions at all as I slept. It was glorious, but being in her arms is ten times better. Holding me tightly, she kisses the top of my head and I melt against her. I don’t know how I missed her during my exhausted state but I did, and I’m so glad she’s here. Moving my head out from the middle of her chest, I ask, “How was your day?”

“Busy,” she whispers, her fingers moving through my hair. “But I had a blast with Angie and Lucy.”

I snort. “You mean Angie, right?”

Her body shakes with laughter. “No, I said it right. Both of them. Lucy is fun.”

“Hardly. She’s hateful,” I accuse with a grin, and she continues to giggle.

“No, she is awesome. Really, she even threatened me if I hurt you.”

That has me raising my head. “Really?”

“Yes.” Her eyes are dancing with laughter, but I still have a hard time believing that.

“My sister? That’s crazy ’cause she didn’t threaten Claire or Baylor.”

“Well, she did say you were her favorite.”

“Damn right,” I say confidently before kissing her chin. “Maybe I do like her.”

“Oh, hush.” She smacks my arm. “But really, I had a blast. Made my shit day better.”

“It was shit?”

She shrugs. “Just been off.”

“Really? You seemed fine when I saw you.”

“Yeah, but then my mom called, and talking to her just exhausted me. Apparently, my dad forgot to buy my ticket for the game during my trip to New Jersey in two weeks.”

“I thought your whole family was gonna be there?”