Chapter 2 The Buyer

I'd barely sent the message when the door chimed and the fingerprint lock clicked open.

Ryder pulled his finger away and smiled at me.

"Come on, man. Don't be mad. I'll come over and show you what I've learned in the kitchen next time you're out of town. Deal? Gwen's been making me work in the kitchen every day while you're gone. My cooking has gotten so much better!"

He was still smiling, but I could tell that he was also making a point.

He was telling me that he'd had his fingerprint registered on my lock while I was away on business, giving him free access to my home.

He was telling me that Gwendolyn taught him how to cook every day after work.

They probably went grocery shopping together, deciding what cooking oil and seasonings to buy, what fruit to have after dinner, how to queue for matches in the latest game, and what she'd teach him to cook the next evening.

Sure enough, a bottle of his favorite aftershave had appeared on my bathroom counter.

The fruit bowl was filled almost entirely with his favorite tropical fruits.

Even the photo of Gwendolyn and me had quietly been replaced with a picture of the three of us at the beach.

Ryder stood in the middle, smiling broadly with one hand subtly resting on Gwendolyn's lower back.

They looked like a couple while I stood off to the side, with other beachgoers blocking most of my face.

When I'd suggested retaking the picture, Gwendolyn's objection was swift and brutal. "Maybe next time. Can't you see Ryder's about to get heatstroke? You're his friend. How could you not notice?"

Now that I thought about it, I'd been too oblivious.

"Don't just sit there. Have some fruit."

Gwendolyn pushed the freshly cut fruit toward us and pressed a fruit fork into Ryder's hand. When their fingertips touched, they both pursed their lips and quickly looked away.

Then, she handed me a jacket. "Didn't you say your stomach hurt? Don't sit right in front of the air conditioner."

The smile on Ryder's face faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered and started teasing us. "Oh, please! Who needs fruit? I'm already stuffed from watching you two."

She shot him an annoyed look. "Stop teasing us. Grayson is supposed to apologize to you."

Ryder paused before shaking his head with a smile. "There's no need to apologize. Grayson can be a little sensitive sometimes, but I know he's under a lot of pressure. I'll never hold it against him."

"You're always so thoughtful and understanding. You never make a fuss over the little things. Grayson could learn a thing or two from you." Gwendolyn nodded with satisfaction.

I sat right beside them, listening as they took turns making me out to be petty and unreasonable.

The jacket was still warm, but it couldn't keep the cold draft from slipping down my collar.

…

By the end of the night, the blueberries I liked had been picked out of the fruit plate and thrown in the trash.

Gwendolyn took the leftover mangoes across the hall, along with a bottle of milk she'd specially warmed.

When she came back, I asked, "Do we have any milk left?"

She looked down as she changed her shoes. "No. Buy a few more cases tomorrow and take some over to Ryder and his parents. They all like this brand."

'They all?'

She was even looking after his parents now.

I grunted non-committally.

I didn't ask when she'd visited his parents, when she'd added Ryder's fingerprint to the lock, or when she'd changed our bedroom sheets to his favorite shade of bright blue.

Instead, I slipped the ring off my left ring finger.

Gwendolyn noticed and instinctively asked, "Why'd you take off your ring?"

"I've gained a little weight. It's getting tight."

She chuckled, closed the bedroom door, and leaned against my shoulder. "You should get it resized tomorrow."

I nodded and turned off the light.

What she didn't know was that it wasn't the ring that felt too tight. If anything, it was the relationship between the three of us that felt too crowded.

…

Early the next morning, the real estate agent called to say a buyer was eager to close. The deal was just waiting on the paperwork and payment.

I didn't hesitate. I immediately proceeded with the sale.

As I approached the break room at work, I heard hushed laughter from inside.

"Gwen, you're amazing. I only mentioned that my parents wanted to come stay with me, and you immediately bought me a house."

"I had no idea how to bring it up with Grayson, but now he's putting the place up for sale himself! The timing couldn't be better!"

My sweetened latte suddenly tasted bitter.

It seemed that Gwendolyn was the buyer.

"What if Grayson finds out?"

Gwendolyn scoffed dismissively before saying, "I know what he's like. Even if he does get mad, all I have to do is just cook him a couple of dishes to smooth things over."

"What if he changes his mind?"

"Don't be stupid! The deed is in your name now. What good will it do him to get upset?"

My blood ran cold.

I stood there for several seconds, waiting for my breathing to settle.

…

When I finally moved, I knocked on the break room door.

"What are you two talking about? You guys sound like you're having a great time."