ce. "We should all go out to dinner tonight. You, m

lmost laughed. Celebrate? With t

er," he added, as if that w

Arguing with him was like pun

word was flat, dev

l pick you

ckly. "Just send me the ad

"Are you sure? I

unded like care. It was a familiar trick, a small crumb of

ered the smok

y voice firm again. "

oice. He wasn't used to me refusing his help. "How did you

s send lil

id you get my new address?" I

silence on his end

Sarah, di

" he said, not confirming o

caved. She had a soft spot for Liam, believing he was a good man who was

em were already seated at a table. Chloe looked up and her ey

e said, her voice a

fectly normal. He pulled out a chair for me, his hand resting briefly on my back. It was a

m had to signal a waiter to bring another one for me. It was a small thing, but it felt si

appetizers for the table, making sure everyone's water glass was full. H

him do the same for her, so naturally, made m

smiled sweetly and picked up

"Ever since we were kids. That night of the fire, I was so scared. My ankle was

ation. She was twisting the k

a slow sip, keeping my face impass

ly expecting me to cause a scene. I wa

hloe pressed on, her voice dripping with f

rayness, the feeling of being utterly alone. My grip o

sant," I said,

't properly apologized to Ava, have you? You were so

as the magnanimous one, the one encouraging him to do the rig

his throat and turned to me. His eye

id, his voice low. "I should

buffer. But hearing it now, in front of them, felt humiliating. It wasn't a real a

inally boiled over. I picked up the shrimp he had placed on m

small, gre

oice laced with warning

e shrimp," I

was a statement of fact. He knew my tastes, my ha

g him straight in the eye. I was pushing

know you're upset. But Chloe and I are just frien

ing a hand on Liam's arm. Her touch was light, but it was a clear claim

isy was su

ng," I said, a bitter smile playing

loudly against the floor. Every head in ou

to go,

urant, leaving them sitting there with the stained tablecloth and