Chapter 4

It suddenly hit me. Last week, on my birthday, Jeremy had vanished for an entire day, his phone off and his messages unanswered. Stacy had disappeared for the same day, for no reason anyone could explain.

The next day, he'd said the company had him working late.

He'd actually been abroad, throwing Stacy a wedding.

I laughed softly to myself. It really was pointless. I turned and got in the car.

Jeremy clung to me and wouldn't let go. He leaned against my shoulder and murmured, "Connie..."

I thought he was calling for me.

"Water."

He wasn't calling for me at all. He was just thirsty.

Back at the apartment, I dumped him on the bed. He reached for my hand, and I pulled away. He came to a little, pulled a velvet box out of his pocket.

"Connie, open it and look. That sketch you drew back in college."

A trace of a smile surfaced in his eyes. "It took some real effort to track that drawing down, and then I had someone rush-order it custom-made. You even said whoever married you had to use a ring like this, or you wouldn't marry them at all..."

His voice carried a hint of a sulk.

I went a little blank. I didn't even remember saying that myself.

There'd been a time when Jeremy kept every single thing I said close to his heart. Then Stacy started complaining that we were leaving her out, and Jeremy had slowly started keeping his distance from me in front of her, until he genuinely forgot.

Seeing me stay quiet, he held the box out. "Try it on?"

My fingertips trembled a little. For one moment, it felt like we were back at the start, when we'd first fallen for each other. My hand moved before my mind caught up, and I opened the box on reflex.

It was empty.

Jeremy blinked, then laughed it off, helpless. "Stacy must've hidden it again. She's really..." He didn't finish the thought. "Let's just skip the ring tomorrow. It's only a formality anyway."

Something in me finally laughed. I nodded.

No ring. No wedding either, then.

"Don't go throwing tantrums on me anymore. Even if you can't cut me some slack, at least think about Stacy."

His voice trailed off smaller and smaller until he rolled over and went back to sleep.

I took a deep breath and set the empty box down on the nightstand.

I took one last look at the apartment I'd lived in for two years. Stacy's stuffed animal on the couch. Her favorite mug in the kitchen. Her toothbrush in the bathroom. There were traces of her everywhere.

I should have left a long time ago.

I picked up my suitcase and headed for the airport. Once my phone was off, I boarded the plane.

The next morning, when the plane landed, I turned my phone back on. It buzzed instantly, flooding with hundreds of messages.

"Connie! Where the hell are you?!"