Throughout the next week, I did my best to distract myself from the gaping hole that Ava’s absence left in my life and absorb myself in work. On Wednesday night, I even went out to a bar with Jack, but although the women of Manhattan were as beautiful and varied as ever, I was too preoccupied with thoughts of Ava to take interest in any of them, and after two drinks, when Jack began flirting with a vivacious pixie-faced redhead, I made my excuses, called it a night, and took a cab home.

On Friday evening, when I returned to my apartment, my mail included a manila envelope containing divorce papers, which I shoved into a drawer, before calling in a pizza order and settling down in my armchair to play my favorite video game, Destiny. Eventually, I’d deal with the divorce and all that went with it, but I’d been in a lousy mood all week, and right now, I just wanted to eat pizza and shoot something.

By the time my door phone buzzed, I had shot a few hundred cyborg warriors and eaten half of my pizza. When I hauled my ass out of the chair and answered, it was my sister, Cara.

“Come on up,” I said. “If you haven’t eaten already, I’ve got pizza.”

When she arrived and stepped into the apartment, Cara surveyed the collection of discarded pizza boxes on the kitchen counter and eyed the vases of wilted flowers in the living area.

“Wow. Looks like someone’s returned to bachelor living. Did your maid quit or something?”

“No, Josefina’s out of town this week visiting family. Want a slice of pizza or something to drink?”

My sister shook her blond head and gestured toward the living area. “Sit down, Ronan. There’s something I need to say to you.”

I sat back down in my armchair, and as Cara seated herself on the couch across from me and fixed me with her bright-blue gaze, I braced myself for the lecture I sensed was coming my way.

“Earlier today, Ava told me that she’d sent you divorce papers,” she said.

Annoyance simmered in my gut. “I just got them today. Did Ava send you over to make sure I sign them within twenty-four hours?”

My sister’s eyes narrowed as she glared at me. “What crawled up your ass and died? Don’t you dare take out your Ava-related frustrations on me. I’m not here to make you do anything—as if I even could, given how ridiculously stubborn you are. I came here to make one last attempt to save you from your own stupidity.”

“If you’re talking about Ava and me, it’s too late,” I said. “A week ago, I came home and found her packing her bags. I asked her to stay, but she turned me down and made it clear she wants nothing to do with me. She even left everything I gave her in her room—rings, dresses, shoes, the diamond earrings you helped her choose—everything.”

“That makes perfect sense,” Cara said. “Ava’s a strong woman, and she sent you a strong message.”

“By telling me she wants to be my wife and the mother of my children right before she walks out the door and sends me divorce papers?” I got up from my chair and began pacing back and forth. “What kind of fucking message is that?”

“One that any woman would understand. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

“I care about Ava. I really do. But that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m in love with her.”

Cara screwed up her face at me. “Are you serious? You’re totally in love with her.”

“How can you be so sure about that?”

“For one thing, every time you look at her, it’s written all over your face,” she said. “What the hell do you think being in love is, anyway?”

“I don’t have a fucking definition. How would I when I’ve never been in love?”

“Tell me this,” she said. “What do you miss most about spending time with Ava?”

“We used to laugh together a lot,” I said, remembering the day I’d taken Ava to play minigolf. “I miss having coffee together every morning, and I miss our movie nights. We’d order takeout, watch a movie together, talk, make out on the couch—that kind of thing.”

“How have you felt since she moved out?”

“Shitty and kind of empty inside,” I admitted. “I can’t get her out of my head, and I haven’t been able to focus on work.”

“How does Ava look in sweat pants and a T-shirt at seven a.m., with messed-up hair and no makeup?”

“What kind of a question is that?”

“Just answer me,” Cara said.

“She always looks beautiful, with or without any goddamned makeup.”

Cara’s lips parted in a wide smile. “Congratulations, Ronan. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re in love.”

I stopped pacing. Was my sister right? I had a feeling that maybe she was. Was this what love felt like? Because if it was, I’d loved Ava all along. The truth had been right in front of me, but because I’d never been in love before, I hadn’t recognized my feelings for what they were. And by not recognizing the depth of my feelings for Ava, I’d completely screwed up.

“Fuck,” I said, turning to face Cara. “You’re right. If love means everything I’ve felt since Ava walked out that door, then I am in love with her. But is that enough? You know I’m not exactly ideal husband material.”

“Because of Dad’s history with women or your own?”

“Both.”

“Don’t let your fears take over,” Cara said. “No one’s perfect, and we all have our share of self-doubt. But right now, you have a decision to make. You can either listen to your fears and let the woman you love walk away, or you can listen to your heart, make a commitment to Ava, and resolve with everything in you to honor that commitment and make it work.”

“It’s not that simple,” I said. “I already tried and failed to convince her to stay.”

“Bullshit,” Cara said. “When Ava told you she loved you and wanted a life with you, how did you respond? When she put her heart on the line, did you tell her how you feel—or did you hedge your bets and pussyfoot around?”

Understanding flooded through me. “She tried to get through to me, but I let my doubts hold me back—and now, it’s too late.”

“Not necessarily,” Cara said. “If Ava gave you a second chance, would you take it?”

I looked my sister in the eye. “I’d seize it with both hands.”

“Are you ready to do your utmost to be the man she deserves?”

“I am.”

“Then I’ll help you,” she said, looking thoughtful. “But you’re going to have to set your male ego aside if you want to have any hope of pulling this off. After all your fuck-ups, convincing Ava to give you a second chance is going to require serious groveling.”

“You mean going down on my knees, like in the movies?”

“That’s just the beginning.”

“Sign me up,” I said. “I’ll do anything.”