Page 32 of You Fall First

“You were so right,” Maren blurts the second her face fills my phone screen. She’s wearing a pink mud mask, and her blonde hair is wrapped in a bath towel. “Bucky cried. Like, a lot.”

I scrunch my nose. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Last night.” She tilts her head, waiting for me to catch up. “Over cheesecake?”

My brain probes for details from yesterday’s post-yoga call. Why does that conversation feel like a million light-years away?

“I promised to break up with Bucky,” she finally prompts.

“Right. Of course.” Now I remember. “Our pact. We pinky swore.”

“I honestly didn’t think Bucky cared that much about me, but he totally bawled after, so I felt really bad about hurting the guy, you know?”

I frown. “Having been dumped by the one and only boyfriend I’ve ever had, I don’t know, actually.”

“Oh, stop.” Maren waves my comment away. “You chose to leave Oliver.”

Of course she leaves out the part where my ex was texting another woman about how trapped he felt, and how quickly he’d be with her if he could only escape me. Then he did, and now he’s engaged to her.

Double insult to injury.

My stomach heaves thinking about the fact that I’ll almost certainly see him at Landry’s wedding now. I’ll be dateless while he’s got a fiancée.

Amelia and Oliver forever.

Stupid Gilded Dish.

“What’s wrong?” Maren presses her face up so close to the phone, I’d be able to count her pores if they were visible under her mask.

“With me?” I swallow. “Nothing’s wrong.” Repeating this will make it true, right?

“You held up your end of the pact, didn’t you?”

“No, yeah, of course.” I pause. At least I think I did. “What was my end of the pact again?”

“You were going to tell your parents about the job at Mockingbird. And also let them know you’re moving out.”

“Yep. I totally did that.” I nod. “Both of those that’s.”

“Good girl.” She continues studying my face, brows contracting. “So what aren’t you telling me, then?”

Man. She’s good, too.

“It’s about the wedding,” I admit, bile rising in my throat. “Landry’s venue hired different caterers, and the new one is led by Mr. Loser Chef.”

Maren gasps. “No!”

“Yes.” I force a shrug of indifference. “Poor Landry had no idea, but it’s too late to request a new caterer now. Plus they’re giving her a great deal because of the last-minute switch, and I can’t ask my sister to pay more just because I’m a big baby who doesn’t want to see her ex.”

Maren scowls. “Want me to crash the wedding and kick his butt for you?”

“I’d rather take the high road and act like I don’t care.”

She bobs her head. “On second thought, that’s a superior strategy.”

We’re both quiet for a moment while Maren pushes a loose strand of hair back into her towel, and I silently relive last night’s dinner conversation. As bad as the news was, at least Noah and Dutton were a distraction. Hopefully Paige’s surgery was a success, and they were able to get some sleep.

“Ummm.” Maren’s staring at me, chewing her lip. “What’s happening for you right now?”