Chapter 4

He throws it back on me.

Like I'm the sick one.

I laugh. Cold.

"Ryan. Is this even a place you can rent out? It's our *wedding home*. We're not married yet, and you're already subletting it? What — you don't wanna get married anymore?"

His face goes white.

Voice drops.

"That's not — Chloe, come on. It's a small thing. When we get married, I'll have Autumn move out. Done."

A small thing.

A *small thing*.

Meow.

I look down.

A tabby cat. Rubbing against Autumn's leg.

Autumn scoops it up like it's her baby.

"Hiii, Biscuit. Hi, baby."

Then she turns those watery eyes on Ryan.

"Ry… Biscuit's a rescue. We found him together, remember? He finally has a home. Me and Biscuit are so used to it here. When you get married… does that mean we don't have a home anymore?"

One sad girl. One sad cat.

Both about to be kicked out on the street.

Ryan's knuckles go white.

He actually turns to me.

"Chloe. Kicking them out like this… it feels kind of harsh, doesn't it? What if we… just push the wedding back a little? Till Autumn's internship ends. Till she saves up. Can rent her own place nearby. Then we do the wedding."

I stare at him.

I don't even recognize this man.

For an *intern*.

He rented our wedding home for ten bucks a month.

And now?

Now he wants to push our wedding so a girl and a stray cat can keep their *home*.

And then it hits me.

Three months ago.

I was pulling an all-nighter. Nine p.m. Missed him so bad. Called him.

Water running. He said he was in the shower.

But I heard it.

A cat.

Meowing.

I asked, "Since when do you have a cat?"

He said I was hearing things. Hung up fast.

Three months ago.

Three. Months. Ago.

So Biscuit was already here. She was already here.

In our shower.

In our bed.

I think I'm gonna be sick.

He told me he was allergic to pet hair.

I wanted a dog for years. He said no — allergies.

Allergies.

Right.

He wasn't allergic to pet hair.

He was allergic to my dog.

I look at him now and I want to throw up.