All Chapters of The Goodbye He Never Saw Coming : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

NATH The attraction I felt toward Winter before? That was sympathy. My heart was moved due to her seemingly pathetic condition. But now, it's different. She’s quick, strategic, and bold. Everything I admire in a person. And the fact that she’s playing this so ruthlessly? It only makes me want to see what else she’s capable of. 'This changes everything,' I think, a smile tugging at my mouth. 'Fine, Winter. You want to play? I’ll play. And I’ll make sure you win.' The need to see her hits me out of nowhere. To watch her mask slip, to catch the flicker in her eyes when she’s calculating her next move. I shove the papers back, rearrange the box so it looks untouched, and head for the door. Because now, more than ever, I want to see her act. I step out out of the room, my chest still tight with what I’ve just uncovered, but the need to see Winter outweighs everything else. She said she wanted a stroll, so I head toward the pool. The moment I get there, I freeze. Mike is stand

WINTERI smile at Olivia like she's a puppy that just peed on an expensive rug. Sweet, but oh so disappointing."Actually," I say, turning to the spokesperson with the confidence of someone who just drew a royal flush, "I have evidence to back up my claims."The room goes so quiet I can hear Olivia's eyelashes batting in panic. Mike shifts in his seat, suddenly looking uncomfortable. The six fake witnesses exchange nervous glances like they're realizing they might have picked the wrong side.Nath leans forward slightly, and I catch the hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I think back to earlier today when I stepped out of the hotel room for what I thought would be a peaceful stroll around the pool. My new phone was still fresh in my hands, and I'd been excited about testing its camera features. The evening air was warm against my skin, and I felt like I could breathe.That's when one of my new friends had approached me, her phone clutched in her hands like she was ho

WINTER I keep staring at Mike, my mind a battlefield between logic and memory. The tears on his cheeks catch the soft hotel lighting, making him look vulnerable in a way that tugs at something deep in my chest. Something I thought I'd successfully buried. Then he leans forward and kisses me. His lips are warm and achingly familiar against mine. For a split second, muscle memory kicks in and I almost melt into him the way I did a thousand times before. My eyes flutter closed, and I can smell his cologne—the same one I used to buy him for birthdays and Christmas. But instead of seeing Mike's face behind my eyelids, instead of remembering our shared past, something entirely different appears. Nath's face. Those storm-gray eyes looking at me with something that might be love. The way he smiled at me earlier when I exposed Olivia. The gentle way he touches my face when our faces are inches away. My eyes snap open like I've been slapped. The spell breaks completely. Mike's m

WINTER The crew members descend on us like surgical technicians, armed with heavy-duty Velcro bands and the kind of serious expressions usually reserved for handling explosives. I watch as they bind the contestants to their partners with practiced efficiency. One crew member, a wiry guy who looks like he moonlights as a CrossFit trainer, approaches Nath and me with what looks like professional restraint gear. "Right leg to left leg, right arm to left arm," he announces, like he's reading from a manual. My right leg gets secured to Nath's left with a thick band that's surprisingly comfortable despite looking like medieval torture equipment. Then my right arm is bound to Nath's left arm with similar gear, creating a human three-legged race on steroids. "This feels very committed," I tell Nath as the crew member checks our bindings. "Good thing I like you." He laughs, testing the range of motion. "At least we practiced coordination." I look around at the other couples getting

NATH Last night feels like a lifetime ago, but the weight of what happened still sits heavy in my chest as I watch Winter celebrate our victories on the track. The text message had come at the worst possible time. But some things can't wait, and my nephew's surgery was one of them. My sister Emma is my twin, though she insists on calling herself my "elder sister" because she arrived three minutes before me. We've always been close, but her son Jake has become one of the most important people in my world. When Emma told me about the kidney stone surgery, when Jake asked if I'd be "there" with him even though I couldn't physically be present, there was no question I'd find a way. That's why I'd left Winter, found a quiet spot with good reception, and connected to the hospital's video system. For two hours, I watched my nephew's surgery on my phone screen, my heart hammering every time the monitors beeped or the surgeons paused to consult. When it was over—successful, thank God