Chapter 51

Amelia smiled sincerely, her voice softening slightly. "It's so nice. You need that, Caroline. You deserve to be happy with your self. But—" She leaned back in her chair and looked at her seriously. "You also deserve to take your time to start your journey with your life. Don't feel like you have to rush into love just because he happens to understand what you need."

Caroline nodded, eyes focused on her intertwined fingers. "I know that, Amelia. But it feels... a little strange. For the first time, I am not afraid to let someone new in this fast... even though at first, I was just joking around with all of this—I never meant for it to turn into something real."

"Because he is not James," Amelia replied gently. "And you are not the same Caroline you used to be."