Chapter 2

I hadn't slept all night. As soon as the sun came up, I went to Aaron's house with the ring.

I exchanged polite greetings with his parents.

One of them said, "Mia, Aaron went out first thing this morning. He won't be back anytime soon. Why don't you come back this afternoon?"

For a split second, they both looked panicked.

As I turned to leave, I heard Olivia's voice upstairs. She was carrying a glass of water and wearing Aaron's clothes. When she saw me, she froze.

I ran upstairs and found Aaron lying in bed, pale and visibly weak.

Olivia rushed after me. She stammered, "Mia, Aaron got soaked in the rain last night and came down with a fever. I stayed here all night to take care of him."

I took out the ring and held it out to her.

Her face went white.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked evenly.

"Mia, it's not what you think."

Olivia knew exactly where to look. She opened the second drawer of Aaron's desk and took out a ring. It was a small, understated wedding band, nothing special.

"This is your wedding ring. He was in such a hurry to make it up to you last night that he grabbed the wrong one. The ring you have is a birthday present he designed especially for me."

I swayed on my feet, my fingers tensing.

In the five years Aaron and I were long-distance, I made the trip to his city 300 times.

On my 301st visit, I snuggled into his arms. "Aaron, a new jewelry studio for couples just opened near me. My birthday is next week. Will you come make a ring with me?"

"Work's been crazy, Mia. I can't get away. Besides, making a ring is too much trouble. I'm not into that kind of thing."

Aaron sent me some money and ran a hand over my hair. "Just buy whatever you want."

So he hadn't been too busy to get away, and it wasn't that he disliked making rings. He simply hadn't wanted to make one with me.

A dull ache settled in my chest.

I went downstairs and handed the ring right back to Aaron's mother, Rachel Torres.

"Mia, what are you doing?"

Rachel pressed it back into my hand with a sigh.

"We've seen your relationship from the beginning. Aaron and Olivia are only friends, so don't read too much into it."

"Olivia and I really are just friends," Aaron said.

He made his way downstairs, unsteady on his feet. He sat beside me, took my hand, and held it tightly.

I gave a humorless laugh. "So it's normal for a friend to stay the night and receive a custom diamond ring?"

"He's only looking out for Olivia because she's your friend. Don't be so petty, Mia," Rachel said.

Olivia sat nearby with her head down and never once looked at me.

Rachel lowered her voice. "You've been with Aaron for seven years. If you leave him now, who else is going to marry you? Men are allowed to have close female friends. Let it go, Mia. You can't afford to start over now."

Her words cut deep.

I looked at Aaron. "Do you feel the same way?"

He shifted uncomfortably and looked away instead of answering.

Then I turned to Olivia. All I saw in her eyes was guilt.

I pushed the ring back.

"I'm not marrying Aaron," I said flatly.

Rachel raised her voice. "Mia, why do you have to be so stubborn?"

Aaron's face tightened with worry. "Mia, can you please stop this?"

"Then cut Olivia out of your life."

Aaron froze, looking torn.

Olivia's voice wavered. "Mia, this is all my fault."

She ducked behind Aaron, her eyes red-rimmed, as if I were some villain trying to tear them apart.

I strained to make out their thoughts, but all I heard was a piercing rush of static. I stood and left the Searles' without looking back.

I'd already given Aaron seven years. Life was too short to give him seven more.