rty had ended. She found Ethan sitting on the cou

her voice. She flicked on a lamp, and the soft l

ilence for sullen anger. "Look, I'm sorry about tonight. M

hysical affection that had always worked before. It was her go-to mo

espond. He sat perfectly stil

aid, his voice quiet but firm. "Save it

Ethan, it's not

to lily dust? Really? The man who used to buy you lilies by the dozen eve

her back where the small, faded tattoo was hid

bed," she mumbled, fleeing to the bedroom and closing the doo

rtment pressing in on him. His phone lit up with

r father would be so proud of th

the chaos of his father's death and Lily's b

t had slipped

robe. "I'm sorry, Ethan," she said softly. "Let's go away this weekend. Just the

her own birthday plans, but not

mind. He would use this trip. It would be th

their first anniversary. She had given it to him with a flourish, a generic silver frame from a department store. He remembered the watch she' d bought Mark for his birthday last year-a li

rang. It

r this weekend! I invited Mark and a few friends to come to the bea

final goodbye was going to be hijacked, turned i

his voice hollow.

laughter and inside jokes creating a bubble that excluded him completely. Her friends either ignored him or looked at him

er amazing success. And a happy belated birthday to Ethan. Whe

ging in the air. Lily didn't even look at him. She was t