Chapter 1

1: 1

My best friend spent twenty-five years single, never once in love, and then the hospital handed her a critical-condition notice.

On the edge of death, she told me her one last wish.

"The biggest regret of my life is that I never had one great, sweeping love."

"Miri, in these last few days I have left, could I borrow your boyfriend? Then even as a ghost, I'd have no regrets."

I cried so hard I could barely breathe.

Before I could get a word out, Walter Delgado stepped forward from beside me, almost frantic.

"I'm willing!"

"Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. I'll find you the best doctors in the world!"

Since it was my best friend's dying wish, I said nothing.

But I never imagined she would stay ill for three whole years.

Never cured, never dying.

At first Walter was full of guilt toward me. In the end, he only grew more and more impatient.

On our fifth anniversary, he left me alone at the restaurant to sit under everyone's stares.

I only sent him a single question mark.

The next second, his call came through.

"Are you out of your mind? I told you I'm taking Lucy Henson to her follow-up today. What are you texting me for? What if she saw it and read into it?"

"She already feels she owes you for borrowing your boyfriend, and now you're deliberately making things harder for her?"

"Forget the meal. Box it up and bring it home, and apologize to Lucy while you're at it. The happier she is, the faster she'll recover."

The call cut off. I looked at the storm outside the window, and suddenly I laughed.

1

For the tenth time, the waiter came to my table and knocked on the surface.

"Miss, may we bring the food out now? The customers waiting behind you have been here quite a while."

I looked down. The screen still showed the ended call.

"No need. Just box it up. My friend had something come up, he's not coming."

The waiter paused, his eyes flicking over the candles and roses I'd set out ahead of time.

He didn't ask anything more, just turned and left.

Muffled laughter drifted over from the next table, pricking my ears like needles.

I gripped my phone, took the bag, and walked out into the rain.

The cold water poured down the back of my neck, biting to the bone.

When I reached my front door, I heard stifled crying inside.

I pushed the door open. Walter was down on one knee on the carpet.

Lucy was curled up in the sofa, one hand pressed to her chest, sobbing so hard her whole body shook.

"It's all my fault, my useless body..."

"If I hadn't suddenly felt sick, you wouldn't have missed your anniversary."

"If I'd known it would come to this, I'd rather have died in the hospital three years ago than be looked down on now by my best friend..."

"Don't say that."

Walter went frantic in an instant.

"You didn't ask to be sick. How is any of this your fault?"

"Miriam Pruitt is just too petty, clinging to every little thing. Don't take it to heart."

The words had barely left his mouth when he heard the sound at the entryway and turned his head.

The moment he saw me, the tenderness vanished from his face, replaced by cold contempt.

"What are you standing there for? Come apologize! Do I have to invite you?"

"If I hadn't been home tonight, Lucy would've had her attack just now with no one beside her!"

"She treats you as her best friend, and this is how you repay her, sulking at me over some stupid anniversary. What is wrong with you?"

I said nothing, bent, and set the takeout boxes on the table.

Rainwater dripped from the ends of my hair onto the floor.

"You agreed to tonight's date two weeks ago. I waited three hours at the restaurant. Don't I even have the right to send one text to ask?"

Walter's face darkened at once.

He came over, grabbed my wrist, and dragged me roughly in front of the sofa.

"So you waited three hours, so what? Once Lucy is well, we'll have all the time in the world for anniversaries. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?"

"Apologize to Lucy. Now."

"Don't... don't be like this..."

Lucy reached out and weakly tugged at Walter's sleeve.

"It's my fault. Don't blame Miri. She doesn't need to apologize to me..."

"I got in the way of the two of you. I'm the one who should apologize..."

"You're just too kind!"

Walter turned, steadying her by the shoulders, his voice full of aching sympathy.

"She nearly upset you into another attack, and you're still defending her? You almost got yourself killed by your own best friend. How do you not have a single bit of temper?"

I stood where I was.

Watching the man I'd loved for five years half-kneeling in front of another woman.

My heart felt like a hand had clamped down hard around it, the pain so bad I couldn't breathe.

Just as I was about to speak.

Lucy let out a sudden muffled groan and clutched her chest.