Chapter 1

The night before my business trip, I receive a voicemail—from me.

"It's me. Your future self. Listen, do not go on that trip tomorrow. "

"A hurricane's about to hit Palm Harbor. Go there, and you're dead."

"This was supposed to be Quinn's trip. Rowan dumped it on you at the last minute. They put you up at the shittiest motel in town. Because they want you dead."

My blood runs cold.

Right on cue, Rowan calls.

"Babe, everything's set up for you out there," he says. "Don't pack too much. Make it a mini vacation! "

"Oh—one more thing. When you sign the contract, don't use your name. Everyone knows you're my wife. I don't want people saying I'm playing favorites."

Favorites?

Yeah, right. He wasn't worried about rumors. He just wanted Quinn to take the commission.

I zip up my suitcase and play along.

"Got it, babe. Whatever you say."

"That's my good girl. Got a dinner thing tonight, won't make it home. Don't sleep in tomorrow."

Right before the call cuts off, I hear a woman's voice in the background.

Quinn. My assistant. My college roommate.

My mind flashes back to college.

Back then, she couldn't get a job anywhere, so she begged me to pull strings and get her onto the sales team.

Rowan Lowe was the CEO and my boyfriend at the time. I said yes without thinking twice.

Turns out, she had been thinking a lot more than I realized.

And now, back in the present, those three sentences keep replaying in my head.

That voice definitely mine. There was no mistaking it.

I hesitate for a second. But in the end, I make my choice. I trust myself, no matter what happens.

I book a flight to Maui. Leaves tomorrow morning.

Palm Harbor? Whoever wants it can have it.

The second my ticket goes through, Quinn calls.

"Summer, your card just got charged three thousand bucks. What'd you buy?"

"Oh, Summer, you know Rowan's company is tight on cash right now. You're his wife, you really should watch what you spend."

"Why drop that kind of cash the night before you leave?"

Her voice is sweet as ever. But she bites down on "leave" just a little too hard.

My stomach turns.

They've planned every bit of this. They want me dead in Palm Harbor.

I keep my tone light. "It's your birthday present, silly. Your birthday's next week, remember?"

Rowan took my primary card away months ago and handed it straight to her. That's how Quinn gets to see every purchase I make.

The card I use now isn't even mine. It's an authorized user card attached to her account.

He'd had the perfect excuse for it, too: Quinn majored in accounting and was good with money.

He claims he's swamped with work and worried I'd overspend, which is why he had her "keep an eye on things" for me.

And I believed him. I actually thought Rowan was having a rough time, so I killed myself closing deals for him.

A whole year, and I didn't buy myself one nice thing.

Looking back, I couldn't believe how blind I'd been.

Then Quinn's voice cuts through my thoughts, bright and eager.

"Oh! That makes sense! Summer, I knew you were the best!"

"But..."

"But if it's my present, shouldn't you be paying for it? Why's it being charged to Rowan's card?"