Part 3Five Men, One Tent, Her Parents

I felt considerably better after that, so I stopped making it difficult for them.

“Go on, both of you. I was joking. Work or friends, it doesn't matter. People in a relationship owe each other trust.”

Alyssa lit up. She hadn't expected me to swing around a hundred and eighty degrees.

“Baby, you're the best.”

She blew me a kiss and practically ran down to Tyler's car.

I watched them go, then went back to the group chat.

Half an hour later, the other men started complaining.

“Have you picked Alyssa up yet? Is she as pretty as her photos?”

“You old lech. Scare her off and she'll turn the car around.”

Tyler, quiet for a while, finally posted a photo from inside the car.

From the angle, Alyssa had taken it.

Lips pushed out, top pulled just low enough, the whole thing calculated to keep five men awake.

“Relax, everybody. I said I'd deliver and I don't go back on my word.

“One problem, though. I never bought a tent. Are you splitting one off for me, or what?”

One of them jumped in, delighted with himself.

“We only packed the one big tent. Guess it's boys and girls together tonight.

“Fair warning, I move around in my sleep. If I end up somewhere I shouldn't be, don't take my head off, Alyssa.”

Alyssa left them plenty to imagine.

“We're all adults here. If we're going out to have fun, let's actually have fun.

“And for the record, I move around in my sleep too.”

Tyler posted a few seconds of video.

He was stopped at a light, phone in one hand, pointing at his own cheek with the other.

Alyssa leaned straight over and kissed it.

“See that? She isn't shy. So don't sit on whatever you're thinking. I packed protection, and anything you're too scared to do, I'll do.”

The chat came apart.

“Who says I'm scared? I'm braver than any of you!”

“I can't believe I didn't sign up for this trip.”

I wasn't angry. If anything, I'd never been calmer.

The first thing I did was back up every line of it.

Screenshots. Voice messages. Photos. Video.

I thought about dropping the whole file into the family group chat.

Six people in there. Alyssa, her parents, my parents, me. Nothing in it that couldn't be sent.

I stopped myself.

I had a better idea.

Why not take them out there and let them see it?

Let Alyssa's parents get a clear look at the well-raised daughter whose new house my money had paid for.

I gave it enough time, then called her.

There was rustling on the other end.

Her voice came out dry and half-covered, like she had a hand over the microphone.

“Baby, I'm busy. What are you calling for?

“We got caught in the rain, and the girls and I are changing in a restroom. I can't talk, somebody's already knocking.”

I asked my questions in order, calmly.

“The girls? Then what's your friend with the bleached hair doing out there? He isn't one of the girls.

“I'm calling because I'd hate to be the last to know I've been made a fool of.”

Alyssa laughed, thin and dry.

“Baby, don't joke like that. We're husband and wife next month. Why would I make trouble for myself?

“Wait for me. I'll be home the day after tomorrow and I'll make it up to you. Be good.”

Sweet to my face, something else entirely the moment my back was turned, and all of it delivered so smoothly that if I hadn't been in that group I'd have swallowed it whole.

“All right. If you say so, I'm not worried.”

“See? You're the best.”

Then I turned it.

“Once you're done changing, let's do a video call. Then I really won't have to worry.”

That did it. She came up furious.

“Jason! That's enough!

“I give you an inch and you take a mile.

“Since you clearly don't trust me, I'm turning my phone off.”

She hung up. When I called again, it was off, exactly as I'd expected.

I took my time, then dialed her mother.

“Diane? I think Alyssa may be missing.”