Chapter 3

Lucas walked over and lowered his voice.

"You're serious?"

"Yes."

"The roads are closed. How are you planning to leave?"

"Then I'll wait for them to open."

He looked at me for a couple of seconds, then twisted his mouth into a smirk.

"Fine, you want quiet, have your quiet. Just don't use it as a scare tactic."

He turned and walked back into the crowd.

Chloe was sitting by the fireplace. Lucas handed her a cup of hot chocolate.

...

By late morning, the main hall had erupted into activity.

String lights were being draped over the rafters. A row of foil letter balloons had been taped to the wall.

HAPPY 5th ANNIVERSARY MR. & MRS. WHITMORE — AND WELCOME CHLOE TO THE TEAM.

Ethan grinned nearby.

"Lucas, Chloe's a thoughtful one."

"Since your fifth anniversary happened to fall on the same day she officially joined, she figured they should celebrate both at once—save you from having to throw her another party later."

"So she pulled the front desk staff out first thing this morning to help her hang it all up. Sweet girl."

Lucas glanced up at the banner and his brow tightened.

But one look at Chloe, standing beside him with her eyes bright with expectation, and in the end he didn't have anyone take it down.

He turned and lowered his voice at me.

"She's just trying to be part of it. Don't take it so seriously."

I stood there, looking at that line of letters, feeling utterly hollow.

The cake on the table was mango coconut mousse.

I was severely allergic to mango.

And mango was Chloe's favorite.

That cake wasn't for our fifth anniversary.

It was for Chloe's first day on the job.

The friends started egging me on.

"Ava, get over here, have a drink!"

Chloe walked over holding a glass, her voice soft.

"Ava. Happy fifth anniversary."

Lucas held out a champagne flute.

"Happy fifth anniversary. Come, have a drink together."

I looked at the glass. I didn't take it.

His tone dropped.

"Ava."

I still didn't move.

Chloe's eyes went red.

"Ava, is it because my name is up there? You're upset?"

"I'll go tear that half of the banner down—really, don't mind me."

"Don't."

Lucas stopped her, then turned back and fixed me with a hard, cold stare.

"Not in front of everyone. Don't make a scene!"

He shoved the flute into my hand.

The champagne sloshed.

I flicked my wrist.

The whole glass emptied onto the floor.

A few drops splashed onto Chloe's shoes.

She let out a small shriek.

The hall went dead silent.

Lucas's face went black.

He seized my wrist and yanked me hard to the side.

The force sent me stumbling back two steps.

The small of my back slammed into the corner of the bar counter.

His grip faltered for a moment, then released.

Pain exploded up my spine and radiated down into my abdomen.

The world blurred out of focus.

Ethan grabbed Lucas by the arm.

"Lucas, cool it."

Lucas shook him off, his eyes still fixed on me, heavy with anger.

"What is it you actually want?"

I braced myself against the bar counter. The dragging pressure in my lower abdomen had started up again.

"Happy fifth anniversary?"

I looked at him.

"This anniversary I'll remember for the rest of my life."

I walked over to the table, picked up the entire cake, and dumped it into the trash can.

The mango-coconut mousse hit the bottom of the bin with a soft thud.

Nobody said a word.

Chloe was hiccuping softly the whole time.

Someone spoke up to smooth things over.

"Ava, come on, isn't that a bit much? Lucas was just trying to lighten the mood."

"Yeah, Chloe's just a young girl. Why stoop to her level?"

I poured myself a cup of warm water and took a sip.

"The show's over. I'm going back to my room."

As I passed Lucas, he grabbed my arm.

"Ava, you're going to apologize to Chloe tomorrow."

I pried his fingers off one by one.

"Why should I. If anyone owes an apology, it's you."

...

Back in the storage room.

I slid down the wall to the floor, forehead slick with cold sweat.

I dug the box of progesterone out of my bag.

Two pills left in the bottle.

I swallowed them.

My throat closed up.

My phone buzzed.

A text from Lucas.

Just say a soft word to Chloe tomorrow, then we can put this behind us. Enough, Ava.

I stared at the screen.

Typed four words back.

As you wish.

Consider it behind us.