Chapter 2

I turned, ready to escape.

Ryan caught my arm. "Don't go up. Come eat with me."

"Not hungry."

"I'm heading out of town in a couple days. I'll miss your birthday." He lowered his voice. "Let's have dinner tonight. Call it an early celebration."

He remembered my birthday. I hesitated.

Before I could answer, Jake had already opened the back door of the SUV and climbed in. "I'm hungry too. Let's all go."

Ryan's jaw tightened, but he didn't kick him out.

Half-pulled, half-pushed, I ended up in the passenger seat.

At the mall, Ryan walked on my right, Jake on my left. On the escalator, Ryan tugged me behind him. "Stay close. Ignore him."

Jake's ears were sharp. "Oh, and you're such a great brother? When she had a fever of a hundred and three, where were you?"

"I was the one who took her to the ER that night."

Ryan's step faltered.

Jake pressed, "You were having dinner with Chloe's roommate, weren't you? Pumping her for info on Chloe's finals."

The air went still for a moment. I looked down. Jake had come that night—but not for me. He'd been looking for Chloe's notes and spotted me leaning against the wall in the hallway.

I opened my mouth to say it didn't matter, that I'd stopped caring. But they were already arguing again.

I slipped away into a nearby coffee shop, hoping for a moment alone.

Ryan followed in one step. "Where are you going?"

"Coffee."

He pulled me back. "We'll order together later."

Once again, I was caught between them. They walked and bickered the whole way, voices low but sharp.

I tried again, veering off to the right.

Jake blocked me. "This way. The restaurant's ahead."

I couldn't get out. I pressed my lips together and tried to make myself invisible.

The comments whispered up,

【They're not really fighting over Sarah.】

【They brought her out tonight just so they'd have an excuse to invite Chloe.】

Right on cue, Ryan pulled out his phone, as if the thought had just struck him, "It'd be more fun with more people. Why don't you ask your roommate to join?"

I didn't answer.

Jake jumped in immediately, "Yeah! Chloe's closest to you anyway. Invite her. One more person doesn't matter."

They fought about everything except this one thing. On this, they were perfectly, disgustingly aligned.

"Fine."

I texted Chloe, My brother and Jake want to take you to dinner.

She replied instantly, Address.

I put my phone away. Both men moved at once—Ryan smoothed his collar, Jake ran a hand through his hair. The anger from moments ago vanished. Neither walked beside me anymore.

I trailed three steps behind, watching them huddle over their phones, picking a restaurant.

My chest ached. But underneath it, something strange surfaced, relief.

Good. Things that were never meant for me—better to see them clearly now.