t the Brooklyn coffee

ing Ava," I

ed on h

e you serious? Y

three yea

flat, even to

the papers. She j

ll open. "But... why? I th

drizzle starting to coat the street. Deep down,

l above the coffee

walk

landing on us. A small, pol

offee again, trying to hi

managed, a li

en in casual weekend clothes. Her

, her voice smooth. "Didn'

en words. Liam looked like he

near silence. The city lights blurred

. "Those papers you mentioned last month, the ones fo

ened. "Glove

bout some market dip, Julian' s name a sharp sting in her excuses. She'

familiar ache. Her obliviou

ammered do

console. Julian's name

d it up i

? What'

with an instant concern t

The worry lines, the

coming. Don't m

lready reachin

e. He' s drunk, need

servations," I said, my

t even lo

go, Ethan.

I could say another word, disa

esignation settled

For three years

ion felt like a lead

The Plaza Hotel, a wedding spectacle. Julian,

ophone. "Is there any single, wil

e quiet architect classmate who' d loved h

nce for her. A lifetim

I knew, always had

eam was

y phone and se

ove compartment, Ava. Mak

l, sma

oodbye to what n

n kept