e, mindlessly stirring her coffee. Her conversation with Ethan last night ha

pology wouldn

fix something that had be

ttered around enjoying their breakfast. Ava barely not

f I joi

voice sent a shiv

ked up.

s, he stood beside her table, holding a plate

er, cutting into his

angry, but charged. Like neither of t

her throat.

by the question. "Happy. T

her lips. "She always di

"Some things

She didn't want to ruin the fragile peace between the

st night," she said sof

moment. Then, to her sur

skipped.

cared you'd never get it if you stayed." His jaw tightened slightl

hard. "I wis

k, she felt like maybe-just maybe-there

ay anything else, anot

There

toward th

wo

al summer dress. She placed a hand on Ethan's

g up at her. "Didn't thin

t sleep. Thought I'd grab b

in her chest but force

hem. "Ava, this is Rache

ed with recognition.

hel asked, rai

idn't r

a little too knowing. "It'

small smile b

that Rachel existed, or the fact that

r moment she and Ethan had

shoulder. It wasn't lost on her how naturally Rachel slid into that space, as if she had always belonged there. Ava

Rachel knew about her-how much Ethan had shared about the girl who had disappeared all those years ago. She could fe

said, her tone light and conversational, but ther

tight. "We gre

's... interesting." She paused, then added in a tone that was a litt

out 'old friends,'" she said quietly. "

she recovered, her expression smooth and practiced. "Well, I'm sure it's nice to re

sation to take this turn. He looked at Ava, as if weighing his next words

now. Seven years had done that, hadn't it? They couldn't just pick up where they left off. Too much h

s not leaving Ava as she did so. The tension between the three of them was thick enough to cut with a knife, and Ava co

to make an excuse and leave

ai

ge of the table. She turned back to

n earlier. "You didn't deserve what happened," he said quietly. "Th

The apology was more than she had e

heal the wounds she had carried all this time, she knew it wasn't enough. The past couldn't be und

, her voice barely above a whispe

she saw the boy she had once known-the boy she had love

ould say more, Rachel's voi

one deceptively sweet, "ar

n forced a smile.

his time with a little too much enthusiasm. "I'm su

is was between Ethan and Rachel. She couldn't deny the sting of jealousy tha

She knew what she had left behind. And now, seeing Ethan with

time to

be, that was the ha