Chapter 3

The next morning, I went anyway.

Ethan's driver stopped outside Vanessa's building. I got out when I saw her coming toward us.

She was wearing pink eye shadow. Nothing in her face showed that she'd been crying the night before.

She slowed beside me, then turned toward the front passenger door.

“I'm a little dizzy today. I'll sit up front.”

Usually, she pulled me into the backseat with her, leaving Ethan to ride beside the driver. Today, Ethan stayed in the back. I got in next to him.

As the car pulled away, he took my hand.

He'd always liked to play with my fingers, easing them apart and folding them together again. That morning, he gave the small movements all his attention. He didn't look up.

After a while, he turned my wrist over.

“You could use a bracelet. I'll take you to pick one out.”

We both wore plain bands on our left ring fingers. His hand closed around mine.

Vanessa turned in her seat and lifted her wrist.

“A bracelet? You could get one like mine. This is white opal. Ethan said it would suit me—”

Ethan closed his eyes.

She stopped. The smile slipped off her face as she lowered her arm.

Then she caught me looking at her.

She smiled again, a quick, strained attempt, and faced the windshield. A moment later, she brushed at one eye.

I heard a small sniff.

Ethan's fingers loosened around mine at once.

I looked down at the ring he'd put there the night before. His hand had gone slack, but mine was still resting in it.

I made myself pull away.

He didn't stop me. I turned toward the window and kept my hands in my lap for the rest of the drive.