Chapter 1

At the engagement party, the genius brother struck up yet another discussion of hydrological data with Harper Mason.

I trailed behind them, carrying both their coats.

The seats of honor my in-laws had set aside for Harper and me were already arranged.

I tugged lightly at Harper's hand.

"Let's sit down first. You can talk about this in a bit."

"Ken."

The brother pressed my hand down.

"We're in the middle of the data. Could you not break Harper's train of thought and mine?"

Harper kept her eyes on the test report, not lifting her head.

"Go on, say what you were saying. Don't mind him."

The brother went on talking.

Harper pulled out the chair meant for me.

"Sit. Take your time."

I gripped the brother's coat tighter.

"Then where do I sit?"

Harper stalled.

Only then did she remember that was the seat of honor for her and me.

She jerked her chin toward a chair in the corner.

"There's still a spot over there, isn't there?"

That chair sat right by the trash can.

The brother looked up.

"Ken, go sit down for now. Once Harper and I finish going over this data, we'll deal with whatever you need."

They took the seats meant for the engaged couple.

Absorbed, poring over the hydrological charts.

Everyone crowded in, keyed up and eager.

As if no one saw anything wrong with two geniuses talking academics here.

I turned and set both their coats on the chair in the corner.

Then I went out and hailed a cab home.

If even something like an engagement could be given up for this.

Then this marriage.

There was no need to go through with it either.

……

When Harper came home.

It was already eleven at night.

The door at the entryway woke me.

I opened my eyes on the couch.

"You're back."

I was the first to break the silence.

"You're angry?"

She could tell.

I lowered my eyes.

Said nothing.

A sigh.

She sat down beside me.

"I let Charlie take your seat for a bit today. That was careless of me."

It was rare for Harper to apologize.

I opened my mouth without thinking.

"It's fine, I—"

"But Ken, that's no reason for you to leave without a word."

I stalled.

Her eyes on me were nothing but disapproving.

"Just because Charlie sat in your seat for a while, you walked out on a room full of guests.

"Don't you think you took the sulking too far?"

I froze.

"You mean, because I couldn't stand watching someone take my seat to talk about things that had nothing to do with the engagement, that makes it my fault?"

"Ken."

Harper sighed.

"You studied accounting, you're a humanities guy. You can't even follow what Charlie and I were discussing.

"What would be the point of explaining it to you?"

"I—"

My throat worked.

"Talking about academics is a perfectly normal thing. Are you going to throw a fit every single time?

"Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed Charlie by just walking out?

"And on your way out you left his coat down in that corner. Isn't that just telling everyone you've got a problem with him?"

Under Harper's tightly drawn brows was a look of pure displeasure.

So this.

This was what she was really angry about.

"Harper…"

I clenched my fists.

The words I'd been building up in my chest all day finally came out.

"Let's call off the engagement…"

"Harper!"

The keypad door was shoved open.

I stared blankly at the brother, Charles Delgado, standing there in our home.

"Harper, you gave him the door code?"

"Charlie has questions for me sometimes. They're hard to explain online, easier in person."

"But—"

Charles cut my words off.

He came over with his files, shoulder to shoulder with Harper.

"That fitting problem you couldn't solve, I found it. The error here never cleared. Look."

Harper's eyes lit up.

"Yes! Let's do it your way! We'll run the fit again!"

"Har—"

I reached out to stop her.

Charles pressed my hand down.

"Buddy, we've got an important problem to work through. Whatever you want to say, save it until we're done."

"Leave him. Come on."

Harper pulled the study door shut from the inside.

I heard the lock click home with a snap.

I stood at the door, dazed.

But Harper.

You said this was our love nest.

That code, 5203344.

Was a secret only you and I knew…

I drew in a deep breath.

Clenched my fists hard.

It's fine.

Either way.

I wasn't getting married.

I turned to go.

But the study door opened again from the inside.

"Ken, Charlie and I will probably be at this all night.

"Go make two cups of coffee.

"Charlie's needs to be hot, with two sugar cubes."