said, my voice leavin

g back. Mark followed me, silent for a moment as we walked down

concern. "You just had major surgery. You' re talking about starting a compa

s of not thinking, Mark. Or at least, having someon

his friends because Chloe might need him to attend a boring networking dinner. A man who put his own brilliant game ideas on th

ound sense of regret, not for the

," I said. "He' s gone. Let'

my face. "Come on. I' m buying you a drink. A real one

tly open. "A drink? Now? Ethan, y

tion," I said, feeling a lightness I hadn'

mile forming on his face.

fferent,

his smile widening.

for things that weren' t his fault. The Ethan who gave up his weekends, his hobbies, his

t striking me suddenly. "For being suc

id, but his tone lacked convicti

ugh. "Well, the whip is brok

I' m calling the guys. They'

idiot-while Mark and our friends, Dave and Kevin, nursed their beers. The place smelled of stale beer and c

"You gave a kidney to her ex-boyfriend, she fired you, and

much,"

That' s the most badass

ut a part of me swelled with pride.

ersion, leaving out the amnesia. It was too complicated, and honestly,

sed seven years of weakness and replaced it with the raw, unfiltered ambition of my youth. I didn't h

a tragedy. It