Summer passed in a blur of warmth, travel, and fleeting moments of peace.

It had been strange at first—the empty spaces where Bryan used to be. His presence was like a shadow I could never quite shake, always lingering somewhere in the back of my mind. I had heard from him a few times, brief check-ins through text, sometimes a random message when I least expected it. Never anything too deep, too personal—just enough to know he was still there, still thinking about me.

And that was enough.

Most of the time.

Isabella had gone back home for summer break, dragging me along with her for a week. We spent our time eating too much ice cream, laying by the pool, sneaking into bars with fake IDs that we never actually used. It was fun—really fun. A distraction I had desperately needed.

But it wasn't home.

Home was with my mom, where I spent the rest of my summer, curling up in my childhood bed, letting her cook my favorite meals, letting myself just breathe.

She knew. She always knew.

She didn't ask about Bryan, didn't press me for details. Instead, she let me talk when I wanted to and held me when I didn't.

And somehow, that helped the most.

The new semester started before I even had time to blink.

I should've been ready. Should've felt normal again.

But Bryan was everywhere.

Not physically, not on campus, not in the dorm hallways or in class. But his name? His legacy? That was impossible to escape.

Everyone was so proud of him. His old teammates, the coaches, even our professors. His name was mentioned in passing, stories about the guy who made it big, the baseball star who was living the dream.

And I was proud too. So proud.

But it hurt.

It hurt to know that he was out there, doing what he was born to do, while I was still here, trying to figure out how to move on.

The only thing that truly kept me grounded was ballet.

A few weeks into the semester, I was offered something a real part-time job as a ballet teacher.

Not just an assistant. Not just filling in for the younger classes. A real teacher.

It was surreal, exciting, terrifying. But I said yes.

I needed to remind myself that, just like Bryan, I had worked for this too.

And of course, Lily was still in my life.

I babysat her every week, picked her up from school, helped her with homework, listened to her talk about how much she missed Bryan but how proud she was of him.

I saw Bryan's mom sometimes too.

She would smile a little softer when she saw me, sometimes squeezing my shoulder in a way that felt like an unspoken thank you.

----------------------------------

The semester flew by faster than I expected, and suddenly, it was Christmas again.

This time, I was starring in Giselle, my first big performance since Bryan left.

And this time—he wouldn't be in the audience.

The thought made my stomach twist in a way I didn't like, but I pushed it aside.

Because tonight wasn't about him.

It was about me.

And it was about everyone who had come to support me.

Isabella, Kyle, Ethan, Kevin, Sofia, Blake, and, of course, Lily.

They were all there, sitting front and center, cheering the loudest when the curtain fell, when I took my final bow, when the applause filled the theater so completely that it felt like it might swallow me whole.

I should have been overwhelmed.

But instead, I felt... proud.

I had done this.

Without him.

The applause was deafening.

I stood at center stage, my chest rising and falling too fast, my heart still racing, my body aching in the best possible way. The lights above me were hot, blinding, the curtain falling in slow motion as I took one final bow, my head dipping, my arms sweeping out in a way I had practiced a thousand times before.

But this time, it felt different.

Because for the first time in a long time, I wasn't just dancing for myself.

I was dancing for the little girl who once believed she'd never be good enough.

For the young woman who spent so long afraid of letting people in.

For the version of me that once thought she wouldn't be able to do this without him.

But I had.

And it had been beautiful.

The moment I stepped off stage, I barely had time to breathe before I was tackled.

"YOU WERE INCREDIBLE!" Isabella shrieked, her arms squeezing me so tight I almost fell backward.

A chorus of voices followed—cheers, laughter, excited shouts of my name.

Ethan was grinning, shaking his head. "Jesus, Lee. You make it look easy."

Kevin elbowed him. "Dude, you sound like a proud dad."

Lily practically jumped into my arms, her face lit up like she had just seen magic happen.

"Amber!" she squealed, her little hands grabbing my cheeks. "That was the most beautiful thing EVER!"

I laughed, hugging her tightly. "Yeah? You think so?"

She nodded furiously. "Like a real ballerina princess."

I rolled my eyes. "Lily, I've been a ballerina for years."

"Yeah, but now you're a real one," she insisted, her voice full of pure certainty.

My heart squeezed.

I was still breathless, still warm from the praise, still holding onto Lily's hand when I saw him.

Not Bryan.

But the man holding the bouquet.

My body froze, my breath catching.

He was walking toward me, a small, polite smile on his face, his hands carefully cradling a bouquet of deep red roses and soft white lilies.

I barely heard Ethan's voice next to me. "Damn, Amber. Secret admirer?"

But I didn't answer.

Because somehow—I already knew.

I stepped forward slowly, my hands trembling slightly as I reached out to take the flowers.

The man nodded once, then turned and walked away.

And that's when I saw it.

A small, folded card, tied to the ribbon.

I swallowed, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

The room around me blurred, faded into the background.

I had to force myself to breathe as I carefully untied the ribbon, my fingers shaking as I opened the card.

And then, I read the words.

I told you you'd get flowers every time, Ballerina. You were beautiful tonight. More than ever. I never forgot. I never could.

I once told you that baseball was my whole world, but I think maybe I was wrong. It was you.

I hope you're happy. I hope you still smile when you teach, and that Lily still makes you laugh until you cry.

I hope you know that no matter where I go, I carry you with me.

Call me when you're ready. - Bryan"

My breath hitched, my fingers tightening around the edges of the card.

My vision blurred, the words swimming in front of me.

Because I knew exactly where that last sentence came from.

"No matter where you go, a part of me is always with you."

I had those same words engraved on the leather bracelet I gave him last Christmas.

A gift I had been so nervous to give him, a promise I had made even before I knew we would fall apart.

And now?

Now, he was giving them back to me.

I ran my fingers over the words, my chest aching with something deep, something overwhelming, something I couldn't name.

Because Bryan had never forgotten.

Not once.

I felt Isabella step closer, her presence grounding me.

She peered over my shoulder, reading the note before exhaling softly.

Her voice was gentle, knowing.

"Are you gonna call him?"

I blinked fast, my hands clutching the flowers like they might disappear.

I didn't know.

I had spent months pretending I had moved on. Telling myself that this was the way it was supposed to be.

That I had done the right thing.

And yet—

He never forgot.

And neither had I.

I looked down at the card again, rereading the words, tracing my finger over the ink.

Bryan had never forgotten.

And I?

I never had either.

Maybe this wasn't the end of our story.

Maybe—

It was just the beginning of a new chapter.

And maybe... just maybe... I would call him after all.

THE END

OH. MY. GOD.

I actually finished this book. My first romance novel. WHAT?!

I don't even know where to begin because my brain is a complete mess of emotions right now. But if there's one thing I know for sure, it's this: this book would NOT exist without you. Yes, YOU. The one reading this right now.

Whether you've been here since the very beginning or joined somewhere along the way, I want you to know: you are part of this story. Every chapter I wrote, I imagined you reading it. Feeling every moment, swooning, crying, laughing, throwing your phone (hopefully onto something soft), and then coming back for more.

And I'm so, so grateful.

Seriously. I cannot tell you how much your messages, reactions, jokes, and absolute chaotic energy kept me going. You made me laugh when I wanted to cry, pushed me when I doubted myself, and reminded me that these characters meant something—not just to me, but to you too.

Some of you probably know this book better than I do at this point (let's be honest, I forgot half the things I wrote), and for that, I bow down to you.

This book had its fair share of angst, heartbreak, and moments where I made you suffer just a little bit (okay, maybe a lot). But you stayed. You lived through the highs and lows of this story with me. You rooted for Amber and Bryan. You yelled at them (as you should). You screamed at me (again, deserved). And you never stopped believing in them.

That? That means everything.

Oh, and Before You Go...

I have some exciting news.

If you thought I was done writing romance? Think again.

Because I am currently working on a new hockey romance—part of the Baymount University Series!

And guess what? As you're reading this, the first chapter is already published.

So if you love a little ice, intensity, and another story filled with tension, banter, and emotional chaos, go check it out. I promise, it's gonna be a ride.

With all my love (and maybe a few tears),

Méganne ♥️