Part 1The Broken Promise

My parents called to tell me they were heading to my childhood friend’s house to meet his blind date.

My childhood friend, Hugh, was fast asleep beside me.

I thought it was a joke. "Hugh," I whispered, "they said they found you a blind date."

He grunted, pulling me closer into his arms. "Cora, sweetheart, pick out an outfit for me in a bit, would you? And help me with my hair."

When I froze, Hugh cracked open an eye and let out a cynical laugh.

"What's wrong with you? We're just hookup buddies. You didn't actually think I was going to marry you, did you?"

* * *

My mind blanked.

All I could do was fumble awkwardly.

I couldn't bring myself to look at Hugh. I pushed him away, snatching my clothes from the floor and pulling them on haphazardly.

"Cora, look at me." Hugh propped his chin on his arm, a playful glint in his eyes. "You didn't really think we were boyfriend and girlfriend, did you?"

The words "hookup buddies" echoed in my head. My hands trembled so badly I couldn't fasten the clasp on my bra.

Hugh threw back the covers, revealing a lean, sculpted torso, and knelt on the edge of the bed. With practiced ease, his fingers found the clasp and secured it.

I kept my head down. "Who's the blind date?" I managed, forcing a bitter laugh. "Please don't tell me your parents just grabbed some random person from a singles' mixer."

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, at the constellation of red marks scattered across my skin. My legs still ached.

Hugh, now only in a pair of grey sweatpants, moved behind me and buried his face in the crook of my neck.

"It's Isla."

He arched a brow, those handsome eyes of his crinkling. "You remember, the senior from the art department in college. Isla." He let out a low whistle. "To be honest, just thinking about seeing her again… I'm actually a little nervous."

My hand, holding a tube of lipstick, froze. Of course, I remembered.

Hugh had a massive crush on her, but before he could confess, she’d moved abroad. I thought that was all in the past…

Hugh’s eyes were fixed on me. He pursed his lips. "Cora, don't get any funny ideas. We grew up together, practically in diapers. And yeah, you're… beautiful, no doubt. But I see you as one of the guys.

"You're my perfect partner—for meals, for road trips, for bed…"

His words hit me like a physical blow, a chill spreading through my entire body. I stared at his smiling face and managed a weak curl of my lips.

He went on. "Besides, I know everything about you. What you'll wear on any given day, right down to the matching underwear set. It's… kind of boring, you know? Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and see you sleeping next to me, and I get this jolt of fear—what if that joke our families always make comes true? What if we actually got married? My whole life would be over before it even started."

He shuddered dramatically, as if the mere thought was terrifying.

I dug my nails into my palm, fighting to keep the tears from falling.

"I have to go."

I wrapped my coat around myself and fled like a deserter.