Page 17 of Unless It's You
She had a true love? Who proposed to her? And she regretted saying no? I can’t process all that new information.
And Skye... It might as well be on the other side of the planet from London. I don’t have time to take planes, trains, and automobiles to the Isle of Skye, an inconvenient island off the northwest coast of Scotland. And those big, open spaces, with so much room to think, to feel, to... exist?
4. Help Reese
I had one cherished sister—your grandmother. Our lives ended up going in different directions. She had children and settled into a quiet, happy existence, and I went off on a different path, choosing travel and adventure. But her grandchildren ended up being the most important people in my life. I’m so lucky to have had you, Reese, and Maddie. You were my shining stars. My greatest joys.
My only regret with my own sister is that we weren’t close in adulthood. I know you are close with Reese and Maddie, but make sure you never lose that. Sisterhood can be one of the strongest bonds you have. For this item, choose something to do for Reese. Something significant.
5. Find the One that Got Away
I alluded to this above, but I don’t think I’ve ever told you about when I was thirty—only a handful of years younger than you—and lost the love of my life. I messed up and was too scared. He asked me to marry him on the top of the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. I would have had to give up my life in New Jersey, move to Scotland, and help him raise his kids. It terrified and overwhelmed me, so I said no. But Iregretted it right away. I waited too long to fix my mistake, and by the time I tried to make things right, it was too late.
Go after that person and make sure you didn’t make a mistake before he’s a ghost haunting you for the rest of your life. Before that, talk to someone else about it. Get it straight in your head. Get it right.
Nausea washes over me and settles in the pit of my tummy, the smell of stale coffee mixing with a sense of dread. On the one hand, the knowledge that Evelyn lost someone who she thought of as her true love is disconcerting. She’d never said a thing about this man to me. And she... said no, then changed her mind, but it was too late? That’s heartbreaking. A jarring confession from Evelyn.
But on the other hand, that’s not my situation.
Ben’s face flashes in my mind.Oh shit. I’m gonna have to talk to my ex-boyfriend.
I close the document and let out a half laugh, half cry. What on earth did I just read?
My phone vibrates, and I glance down at the screen. It’s a text from Gemma.
Gemma
CALLING YOU
Thank god. I need someone to help me through this. Someone to tell me how the hell to handle this list in only four weeks, how to get it done without losing my mind.
“Your great-aunt was unhinged,” Gemma chirps.
“You should read this list, then you’ll understandjusthow unhinged.”
“While I can’t wait to read it, unfortunately, I can’t help.”
“No! What? Why not?” And all at once, my confident plans for an advisor crumble.
“I’m going out of town for two weeks with Cercei startingFriday, remember? I texted you last week. But I guess you were probably not paying attention to your messages in New Jersey.”
That sounds about right. Ethan’s face pops up in my mind.
“So that four-week deadline? It’s not going to work.”
“Can’t I just cheat and have you sign off anyway?” But as soon as I say it, I feel sick. Cheating on Evelyn’s bucket list would feel awful. “I might go off and have a breakdown now.”
Gemma laughs. “How bad can the list be?”
“It’s bad. What am I going to do?” I’m such a whiner. But honestly, who else is going to help me? It’s so personal. It’s not something I can ask a casual friend to do for me. Not that I have many casual friends. Or... any.
“Ask someone else to help?”
“Because I’m so good at that.”
“What about that girl who works for you. Chloe, right?”
“Bite your tongue.”
