Page 256 of Rush

Riley grins. “Okay, then—boning. Smashing. Pounding the taco…”

“Riley!”

Philippa groans, burying her face in a throw pillow. “I swear, I’ll end this friendship.”

Riley cackles. “Please. You love me.”

Philippa swats her shoulder, and for a second, the room feels light again. I laugh too—but it’s half-hearted, hollow. They both notice.

Riley squints at me. “Wait. Did something happen? You’ve been gloomier than usual.”

I stare down at my mug like it might hold the answer. “He showed up.”

Philippa sits up straight. Riley freezes mid-sip.

“Who?” they say at the same time.

“Alex.”

Riley mutters something that sounds likemotherfuckerunder her breath. Philippa just shakes her head in disbelief.

“He saw us,” I say quietly. “Me and Broderick. We were kissing.”

Riley’s brows shoot up. “Serves him right. Limp-dick fucker.”

Philippa winces. “Jesus, Riley.”

“What did he say?” Riley asks, ignoring her.

I hesitate. “It was awful. They were shoving each other.”

Riley snorts. “So, business as usual.”

“They were going at each other. Broderick said I’d be in his bed that night. Alex looked at me like I’d stabbed him. And all I could think about were the words I said to him in Atlanta.”

Philippa’s voice softens. “What happened in Atlanta?”

“Alex showed up after the show. We argued. He wanted to remind me that he had me first.”

Riley inhales sharply. “That fucking cunt—does he have a tracker on you or somethingoh shit Elena’s moving on better come in a fuck with her head a little,” she says mocking Alex’s voice.

Philippa shakes her head. “He’s so toxic, Elena. I don’t know what you see in him.”

“Pip, don’t you think I know that?” My voice cracks. “He’s having a baby with someone else, and I still can’t help how I feel.Please tell me what to do with all these feelings, where do they go?”

The words split me open. Tears come fast, hot.

“Aww, babe,” Riley murmurs, climbing behind me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“Before Alex, my life was gray. Dull. Then he came in and shook everything up—he’s magnetic. Worldly. Addictive. I can’t explain it.”

The room goes still.

Were we destined to orbit each other—the right person, the wrong time? I couldn’t help but feel like the universe was bringing him back into my life for a reason. Never allowing me to fully forget him.

Philippa crosses her arms. “So, what did you do?”

“I walked away.”