Chloe raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh. Processing everything by sitting alone in your childhood bedroom wearing a yellow sweater? Yeah, that’s definitely what processing looks like.”
Emma laughed, a genuine laugh that echoed through the kitchen. “Okay, maybe I’m not fine. Maybe I feel like my entire world has been turned upside down, and I don’t know how to pick up the pieces.”
“There you go,” Chloe said, opening the ice cream pints and grabbing two bowls. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Let’s go to your room and talk. No parents, no distractions, just us, ice cream, and bad TV.”
They settled into Emma’s bedroom, Chloe sitting cross-legged on the bed while Emma sat on the floor with a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream. Chloe turned on the TV and flipped through the channels until she found a reality show about women competing to become the best baker in America.
“So, what’s your plan now?” Chloe asked, taking a bite of ice cream. “Are you going to move back into your apartment? Wait, no – you told me you moved out early to save money for the wedding.”
Emma’s stomach twisted. She had completely forgotten about her apartment situation. She had sublet it to a woman from her gym for the month, but that lease was up at the end of the week. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I need to find a place to live, but my savings account is pretty much empty from all the wedding expenses.”
“Well, you can stay here as long as you need to,” her mother called from the hallway. She knocked on the door, peeking her head inside. “Just so you know, we’re totally okay with you moving back in. Your father and I were actually talking about turning this room into a home office, but we can definitely put that off for a while.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Emma said, smiling weakly. “I appreciate it.”
Her mother nodded and closed the door, leaving Emma and Chloe alone again. “You could always move in with me,” Chloe said suddenly. “My roommate just moved out, and I’m looking for someone to split the rent with. The apartment is a bit of a dump, but it’s cheap, and it’s in a decent neighborhood. Plus, we used to have so much fun together in college. Remember when we stayed up all night watching bad movies and eating way too much pizza?”
Emma laughed, remembering those nights. “Yeah, I remember. I also remember the night we tried to dye my hair pink and ended up staining your bathtub for months.”
“Ah, good times,” Chloe said, grinning. “So, what do you say? Wanna give living together another shot? We could get matching mugs and have girl nights every Friday. No more boys allowed – just us, ice cream, and bad TV.”
Emma considered it. Chloe’s apartment might be small and a bit cluttered, but it was safe. Chloe was safe. She thought about Liam and Sophia, and how easily they had destroyed her life without a second thought. She thought about her parents’ house, which was full of memories both good and bad. She thought about her future, which felt like an empty canvas waiting to be filled.
“I would love to,” she said, making her decision. “Let me talk to my parents about it, but I think I’m ready to start over.”
Chloe let out a whoop of joy. “Yes! This is going to be amazing. We’re going to make new memories, and you’re going to find someone way better than Liam – someone who actually appreciates you for who you are.”
“I don’t know about that,” Emma said, feeling her smile fade. “Right now, I just want to focus on myself. No more boys, no more relationships, just me figuring out who I am.”
Chloe nodded, her expression turning serious. “I get that. You’ve spent the past three years putting Liam’s needs before your own. It’s time to focus on Emma Carter. What do you want? What makes you happy?”
Emma opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore. For so long, her dreams had been intertwined with Liam’s – buy a house, have two kids, travel the world together. But now, with Liam out of the picture, her dreams felt hollow, like they had never really belonged to her in the first place.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I used to know. But Liam…”
“Screw Liam,” Chloe interrupted. “He doesn’t get to define who you are or what you want. You’re Emma Carter – graphic designer extraordinaire, lover of bad movies and Hawaiian pizza, the girl who once dyed her hair pink just because she felt like it. You’re more than Liam’s ex-fiancée. You’re so much more than that.”
Emma stared at her, tears stinging her eyes. Chloe was right. She was more than just the girl who had been left at the altar (figuratively speaking, anyway). She was a talented designer, a loyal friend, a daughter who loved her parents more than anything in the world. And she was ready to start rebuilding her life.
“Thanks, Chloe,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “I needed to hear that.”
“Anytime,” Chloe said, grinning. “Now, let’s get back to the important stuff – criticizing the baking skills of strangers on TV and eating way too much ice cream.”
