Page 74 of Set to Love

I laugh. “That sounds about right.”

Mom immediately starts asking about housing, visas, and whether I own a proper winter coat. I assure her I’ll figure it all out. We speak a few more minutes, then disconnect.

“Well?” Zoe asks when I lower the phone.

“Mom’s already worried about coats.”

She laughs. “Your mom is the ultimate planner.”

“You got that right.” Mom and Dad are firmly on Team Drew. And Lina will be too. It wouldn’t surprise me if Theo orchestrated this. If I really stop to think about it, every excuse I’ve been hiding behind is disappearing one by one.

“I guess the only thing standing in my way is me,” I muse aloud.

“Mm-hmm. I think you’re scared. This is the first time in a long time something has gone right, and you’re waiting for the floor to drop out.” Zoe squeezes my hand. “It’s your turn.” She knocks lightly on my forehead. “I don’t know how many more signs you need. The universe is practically shoving you onto a plane.”

I let out a shaky sigh. I do want to go. So badly that it hurts. This is everything I’ve ever wanted.

“And you have to admit,” Zoe says, her tone shifting to something more mischievous, “it wouldn’t be the worst thing to be in the same city as Max.”

I tilt my head. “I thought you were against him.”

She takes a long sip from her smoothie. “He may have earned a few brownie points from me.”

“Doing what?”

“Making you happy. That dreamy expression you had last night looked like Cinderella coming home from the ball.”

Since Max flew home, my feelings haven’t faded. They’ve only grown stronger. Every missed call, text, and conversation cut short by our schedules or being in different time zones only makes me miss him more. If I moved to London, we’d finally have the chance to find out where a relationship could go.

“Have I convinced you to hurry up and say yes now?”

“Almost.” I play with my straw. “I just need to be sure I’m doing this for the right reasons.” I look down at my hands. “I like Max. A lot. But I don’t want to be the girl who chases a guy just because I fell for someone at the wrong time. If I go, it has to be because I’m ready to fight for my place on a court. For my career.”

“Trust me. The fact that you’re questioning your motivation right now means you are doing this for the right reasons,” Zoe insists. Her hand squeezes mine again. “You’re a girl going after her dream. The guy you love just happens to be there.”

My breath catches.

Love.

I want to tell Zoe she’s wrong. I’ve only known Max a few weeks. People don’t fall in love that quickly.

Do they?

I think about the way he looked at me on the beach. The way he spent an entire day chasing delayed trains just to cheer me on for a few hours. The way my stomach still flutters every time his name lights up on my phone.

I don’t know if that’s love. It’s not exactly a feeling I have much experience with. Thanks, Dad. But I do know that I can’t imagine starting a new chapter of my life without him in it.

Zoe slides my phone across the table toward me. “Life is short, and London is a big city that gets a lot smaller when you have someone to find. Call Drew back. Tell him you’ll be there as soon as you can pack a suitcase.”

“I can’t go that quickly,” I protest. “I have to at least give Lina my notice. And I’ll probably wait until she finds a replacement and they’ve been trained and can handle all the⁠—”

“Lina will figure it out. I’ll work your shifts myself if I have to. The sooner you get to London, the better.” Zoe taps the phone with her fingernail. “No more excuses. No more what-ifs. It’s go time, Keller.”

I look at the phone, then back at Zoe. For the first time in months, I’m not reacting to my life. I’m taking control.

“I’m really doing this, aren’t I?”

“You are,” she says firmly, her grin widening. “Now hurry up so we can have dinner and spend the rest of the night shopping for your London wardrobe.”