Chapter 2

What I didn't expect, Ethan booked the next red-eye home.

What I really didn't expect, Tiffany flew back with him.

It's two in the morning when he slams the front door open.

Tiffany's eyes are puffy and red. The second she sees me, she breaks.

"Chloe, you must be loving this. E and I just took a little trip together and you had to fake a wedding to drag us back in the middle of the night."

"You ruined my entire island trip!"

I glance at Ethan. Then at her.

"Nobody told you to fly back."

Ethan's voice is sharp. "Chloe. Take down that post."

"No."

He inhales hard. "Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up?"

"Family, friends — everyone is watching. You're literally trying to force me into marriage!"

Tiffany sniffs. "She's just jealous because we are close. E, she wants you to crawl back to her."

"E and I are just friends, Chloe. Take it down already!"

I ignore her. Eyes back on Ethan. Same word.

"No."

He laughs with bitter and furious. "Fine. Send out a thousand invites. Without a groom on the day, you're the joke. Not me."

I smile.

"You can show up or not. It doesn't matter. You've already been missing from my life for a long time. Haven't you?"

His face goes cold.

Tiffany feels the silence and grabs his arm, shaking it like a child.

"E, don't listen to her, she's guilt-tripping you!"

"Nobody dies without somebody else, okay? The world keeps spinning!"

But Ethan softens his tone. "Chloe, I get it. You're using this little game to lock me down."

"But I really hate seeing you like this. You used to be so easygoing, so reasonable. Why are you making everything ugly now?"

He adds, like it explains everything, "You know how much friendship means to me."

I look at their fingers, laced together, tight, and let out a laugh.

"Friendship? Ethan. You call that level of intimacy friendship?"

He frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I say it slowly, making every word clear, "I'm saying. You. Have. No. Boundaries."

Tears pour down Tiffany's face on cue.

"Chloe, ENOUGH! E and I have known each other for twenty years!"

"Just because you don't have any guy friends doesn't mean other people can't! Why are you so controlling?!"

Ethan pulls her into his shoulder, stroking her hair.

"Chloe. Apologize. Right now."

I almost laugh. "Apologize for what?"

He explodes. "You made Tiff cry! You owe her an apology!"

That's when the doorbell rings.

Hunter walks in.

Ethan blinks. "Bro — what are you doing at my place at 2 a.m.?"

Hunter's eyes flick at me. He answers, weight in every word.

"I'm here to help Chloe move out."

Ethan stares for a second — then exhales, relieved.

"Thanks, man. But it's not that serious. Chloe and I are just having a couples' fight."

His tone turns smug, knowing.

"You're a real one, bro. One Instagram post and you saw right through her drama."

"Help me talk some sense into her, yeah? Women need to know their place. Stop embarrassing themselves."

"I gotta take Tiff to a hotel. She's wrecked from the flight. I'm gonna rub her feet."

Hunter looks down. He smiles slowly and strangely. He pauses. Says nothing to Ethan about what's really going on.

"Sure, bro. I'll take it from here."