Page 46 of Weekends with You

“Oh my. And Margot is the one who was broken up with last year? Still hasn’t recovered?”

“Yep,” I confirmed. “That’s the one. You’d think we wouldn’t be doing anything Valentine’s-related, but I have a secret theory that she’s a closet romantic. Not quite sure what to expect.”

“And Henry will be home this time, hm? What is there to expect from him?”

“Do we have to go there?”

“You know the answer to that.”

I moaned, sinking onto a stool beside her. “We’ve hardly spoken since he bailed on New Year’s. I’ve really only heardfrom him in the group text, which I guess makes sense, because we haven’t had much to say to each other otherwise.”

“Are you looking forward to seeing him?”

“I shouldn’t be.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Must you be so tough?”

“I wouldn’t have to be if you’d just be honest,” she said, noticeably gentler than before.

“Of course I’m looking forward to seeing him,” I conceded after a patient moment of silence. “Which makes me so stupid, I know. I just can’t stop thinking about him. Even when I was kissing someone else on New Year’s Eve, I was thinking about him. And I don’t want to be, because it’s complicated, but I can’t help it.”

“That sounds like the opposite of stupid to me. Go easy on yourself, Luce. It’s a tricky situation.”

“Easier said than done.”

“And don’t think you’re getting off without talking about that New Year’s kiss,” she said. “I’m only sparing you now because you’re emotional. But we will be revisiting this.”

“Don’t you have to get going?”

She waved me off like I’d done to her a thousand times, then gathered her things and left to go collect her grandkids. Carla would be at the shop any minute, which meant I would be able to leave soon and head into whatever was happening at home.

I was sure Henry was back already, but I planned to avoid seeing him until we were all together for whatever we were doing tonight. That way, any interaction we had would be around the rest of the roommates, so it would have to be pretty platonic.

It was silly to be frustrated with him for missing New Year’s.I knew that. But knowing it didn’t stop me from feeling it anyway. And it definitely didn’t stop the lingering guilt I felt for kissing someone in his absence, either.

I waited at the shop until I received word that the arch had arrived in one piece, at which point I unclenched my teeth and released my shoulders from my ears. According to Carla, everything looked wonderful, and both families were pleased. I resisted the temptation to text Renee and gloat, but I was over the moon.

I was one tiny step closer to burning my New Year’s resolution, and it was only February. Maybe I was a woman of my word after all.

By the time I got home, I had only a few minutes to change and shove half a sandwich in my mouth before it was time to go. I figured a vintage crewneck sweatshirt from a vacation to Canada gave me enough “range of motion,” and it didn’t look half bad with a pair of boyfriend jeans and high-top trainers. Not that it mattered, because I had no one to impress.

“All right, Mar. What are the big romantic Valentine’s plans for this weekend? We’re dying to know,” Finn was prying when I got downstairs to join the rest of the lot in the foyer.

“Patience, grasshopper,” Margot replied. “Do we have everyone?”

“We do now,” Henry said from the stairs, jogging down to join us. He was leaner than he’d been last time I saw him, which made the angles of his jaw so sharp, I was surprised it didn’t cut through his skin.

He flopped down right next to me on the couch like this was something we did every day.

“No welcome back?” he whispered.

“Hi,” I said, barely glancing in his direction. Fortunately,Margot started talking again before I was expected to say anything else.

“Right, now that everyone’s here, here are the plans: tonight, axe throwing, and tomorrow, charcuterie-making class.”

A painful silence settled over us as we collectively tried to make sense of tomorrow’s plans. Axe throwing made sense. It was cool and trendy and appropriately violent for a Valentine’s weekend planned by the heartbroken. But charcuterie?

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