Chapter 1

That small hiccup blew over fast, and the party rolled right back into high spirits. I laughed and carried on right along with everyone else, honestly happy for tonight's two guests of honor: my best friend, Preston Knight, and his girlfriend.

The reason our friends had started teasing us was that partway through the party, Preston had gotten down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. Of everyone in that room, Rosalie and I were now the only pair without a wedding in sight.

During a round of games, Preston switched seats to sit beside me and gave my shoulder a pat. I gave him a reassuring smile back.

Our whole group of friends had watched Rosalie and me become a couple before anyone else, years ago. Everyone had assumed we'd be the first down the aisle too. Six years later, somehow, we were still just boyfriend and girlfriend.

By the time the party wound down, our friends peeled off one by one until only Rosalie, Preston, and I were left. Preston pulled me into a hug and murmured against my ear, "Reese, whatever happens, don't sell yourself short."

I hugged him back. "I won't," I said, smiling.

I watched Preston and the others go, then turned to follow Rosalie to her car. She was staring at her phone, not even looking up. "Tyler is stuck working late and his ride-share account's run dry, so he can't call a car. I'm going to go get him."

"Sure," I said, and slid my phone back into my pocket.

The moment she'd said his name, I'd already pulled my own phone out and started booking a car out of habit. Luck was on my side; I got a ride the second she finished talking.

She glanced at me. "You've had a lot to drink tonight. Get some rest when you're home. I'm heading out."

"Sure," I said again.

When her car passed me, I jogged a few steps out of the way so I wouldn't catch the exhaust.

A little while later, my phone buzzed with a voice message from her. I would normally have dug my earbuds out of my bag right away to listen. This time I couldn't be bothered, so I just switched it to text.

[I'll drop him off and head straight back. Don't read into it.]

That was new. In the past, whenever she'd ditched me for Tyler, there'd never been a message afterward to smooth things over like this.

I replied: [k]

The chat showed her typing for a moment. Then nothing came through.

I didn't mind. Now that I'd finally made up my mind, I felt lighter than I had in years.

There'd been a time when Tyler Jenkins, Rosalie's childhood friend, turned me into someone else entirely. Always anxious, always afraid of losing her, barely recognizable to myself. I'd lost count of the times I'd screamed myself hoarse at Rosalie over that guy.

She would only ever look back at me, cold. "Are you done? I treat Tyler like a little brother. His parents asked me to look out for him, that's all this is.

"I got him a job at the company because he's actually good at what he does. Don't let your mind go somewhere dirty.

"If you insist on thinking of it that way, there's nothing I can do about it."

Back and forth, the same handful of lines every time. I could recite them from memory by now.

I didn't wait up for Rosalie when I got home. I just went to bed. Just as I'd expected, she didn't come home all night.

A message came through on my phone the next morning.

Rosalie: [Tyler still isn't fully up to speed on some of the work, so I stayed late to help him. Didn't want to wake you, so I didn't come home.]

Rosalie: [For what it's worth, I got a hotel room. I didn't stay at his place.]

She'd always been upfront like that, never shy about bringing Tyler up in front of me. As far as she was concerned, once she'd explained herself, there was nothing left to argue about.

My phone chimed again.

Rosalie: [I booked us a table at that place you like. Let's have dinner together tonight.]