Chapter 2

Ethan’s face stiffened. He began explaining.

“This is my fault. I mixed you up, so I took Chloe and her family out to dinner.”

“You and Chloe are best friends. We’re all going to be family anyway.”

Family.

My parents must have sensed something was wrong. They smiled and waved it off.

“It’s fine.”

“Food is food.”

“Ethan, we brought your dad a bottle of wine from back home. We also picked up some skincare products and other gifts at the mall.”

Ethan showed no sign of guilt.

“Just put them over there.”

He didn’t even look at the gifts.

Fury curled in my stomach. I pulled my parents away while they were still trying to smile.

“Go home tomorrow.”

“Take the gifts with you.”

Mom held on to me, her eyes reddening.

“What’s wrong, Lena? Are we embarrassing you?”

Dad tried to explain too.

“We really did buy those things at the mall.”

“I know.”

I held their rough hands in mine.

“I’m the one who doesn’t want to get married. We’re going home.”

Before they could answer, I rushed into the guest room.

Chloe’s parents were trying on the clothes in there.

“Who told you to wear my parents’ clothes?”

Chloe ran over and burst into tears.

“I’m sorry. I told them they could.”

“I thought those clothes were for my parents.”

She reached for my hand.

“Lena, I really didn’t know. I’m sorry…”

I yanked my hand away.

She fell against the side of the bed.

Ethan rushed in and pulled her into his arms.

“Lena Hayes, how could you be so cruel?”

He’d said my name correctly.

It felt like a needle had gone through my heart.

So he wasn’t face-blind after all.

I didn’t argue.

“I’m cruel and petty. The guest room was for my parents, and so were those clothes. You can leave now.”

My parents tugged at me, but I ignored them.

Chloe’s parents went pale.

“Lena, don’t make my parents leave.”

“They’re too old to sleep in a hotel.”

Mom cut off Chloe’s sobs and tried to comfort her.

“Chloe, you can stay in the guest room. Lena isn’t trying to kick you out.”

“I just saw that the room next door looks nice, too.”

Before Mom could finish, Chloe cut in.

“That’s my brother’s room.”

My parents both fell silent.

Dad rubbed his hands together and gave an awkward laugh.

“The room across the hall would be fine.”

“That’s my room.”

I stepped forward.

Chloe shrank into Ethan’s arms.

“Then where are my parents supposed to sleep?”

I stared at Ethan.

“The basement.”

The moment he said it, I grabbed the clothes from the floor and threw them at him and Chloe.

“Why should my parents sleep in the basement?”

“They paid for half this house!”

My parents grabbed me from behind.

Ethan stood in front of Chloe.

“Do you have to make everything a fight?”

“Stop it, okay? They’ve stayed in basements before.”