Chapter 1

At the engagement party, my genius best friend was discussing hydrology data with Brent James again.

I trailed behind them, carrying her bag.

The seats of honor his parents had set aside for Brent and me were already laid out.

I tugged at Brent's sleeve.

"Sit down first. You can talk about this later."

"Gladys."

My best friend pressed her hand over mine.

"We're going over the data. Could you not interrupt Brent and me while we're thinking?"

Brent didn't even look up from the test report.

"Go on with what you were saying. Don't mind her."

Gladys kept talking.

Brent pulled out the chair at my seat.

"Sit. Take your time."

I gripped the strap of her bag.

"Then where do I sit?"

Brent paused.

Only then did he remember that was the seat of honor for the two of us.

He jerked his chin toward a chair in the corner.

"There's still a seat over there, isn't there?"

That chair was next to the trash can.

Gladys looked up.

"Gladys, go sit down first. Once Brent and I finish going over this data, we'll deal with whatever it is you need."

They sat in the seats meant for the engaged couple.

Absorbed in the hydrology charts.

Everyone crowded around, thrilled.

Not one of them seemed to think there was anything wrong with two geniuses discussing research here.

I turned and set her bag on the chair in the corner.

Then I went outside and hailed a cab home.

If even something like my own engagement could be pushed aside,

then this marriage,

wasn't worth going through with either.

...

When Brent came home,

it was already eleven at night.

The door in the entryway woke me.

I opened my eyes on the couch.

"You're back."

I broke the silence first.

"You're angry?"

He could tell.

I lowered my eyes.

Said nothing.

A sigh.

He sat down beside me.

"Letting Gladys take your seat today was careless of me."

Brent rarely apologized.

I opened my mouth without thinking.

"It's fine, I..."

"But Gladys, that's no reason for you to just leave without a word."

I froze.

His eyes were full of disapproval as he looked at me.

"You walked out on a whole room of guests just because Gladys sat in your seat for a bit.

"Don't you think that was going too far?"

I stared at him.

"You're saying it's my fault, for not being able to stand someone taking my seat to talk about things that have nothing to do with the engagement?"

"Gladys."

Brent sighed.

"You studied painting, you come from a liberal-arts background. The things Gladys and I talk about, you wouldn't understand them anyway.

"What would be the point of explaining them to you?"

"I..."

I swallowed.

"Talking about research is a perfectly normal thing. Are you going to throw a fit every single time?

"Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed Gladys by just walking out?

"And leaving her bag in that corner on your way out. Weren't you basically announcing to everyone that you have a problem with her?"

Brent's brows were tight, his eyes full of displeasure.

So.

That was what he was really angry about.

"Brent..."

I clenched the hem of my shirt.

The words I'd been turning over all day finally came out.

"Let's call off the engagement..."

"Brent!"

The keypad door was shoved open.

I stared blankly at my best friend, Gladys Winfield, standing there in our home.

"Brent, you gave her the door code?"

"Gladys has questions to ask me sometimes. Some things are hard to explain online, so it's easier in person."

"But..."

Gladys cut me off before I could finish.

She came over with her files and settled in shoulder to shoulder with Brent.