Chapter 2

My dad runs a publicly listed company. Ten thousand a month is just my basic spending.

The moment I confirmed it, Ezra dropped the act, and his whole tone shifted like he had ground back under his feet.

He pulled me over to the athletic field for a walk and started in on me, all heartfelt concern.

"Millie, if your family has that kind of money, why didn't you tell me sooner? It's not that I don't want you to spend it. You're just so naive."

"Ten thousand a month is a lot of money. A girl like you could never hold on to it. You'll get taken advantage of, easy."

I couldn't help laughing, and I played along. "So what should I do?"

Ezra's eyes went hot and eager.

"From now on, I'll manage your money for you! I'm your boyfriend. I'd never take advantage of you."

"I'll save it, plan your spending. Let's say a thousand a month for you, and the rest we set aside for emergencies, for us."

He'd only just found out I had money, and already he couldn't wait to get his hands on my assets. You could practically hear him doing the math.

I turned him down flat.

"No need. I can plan and manage my own money just fine."

Ezra's face went dark in an instant, his tone turning snide.

"Millie, is it that you don't trust me?"

"We're together. Isn't your money mine too? Why draw such a hard line?"

My money had nothing to do with him, not a cent of it. When did it become his money?

Eighteen years on this earth, and it was the first time I'd ever heard logic that twisted.

"Ezra, we're not right for each other. Let's break up."

Ezra stiffened, the color draining from his face, and he scrambled to backpedal.

"Millie, I'm sorry. I got carried away just now, spoke without thinking. Don't take it to heart."

He made himself small, forcing his way back into the gentle version of himself, and swore up and down.

"I will never interfere with your spending again. Your money is yours to decide. Please don't break up with me, okay?"

Just as I was about to refuse, my roommate Arlene Simmons spotted me and came running over, all excited.

"Millie, I couldn't get through to you, I was about to head to the dorm to find you."

"The birthday setup's all done. Two whole tables of the fanciest seafood dinner, and you're not there, so none of us dare touch it."

Ezra latched onto the key detail at once and turned to me, delighted.

"Millie, you threw me a birthday party? Why didn't you say so?"

"I knew it. That was just you talking in anger. You can't bring yourself to break up with me."

He cupped my hand in his, his eyes lighting up.

"Come on, come on, let's go right now. Where is it? I'll get the guys."

Two days ago I'd already booked the biggest music bar and grill near campus.

I pulled my hand out of his and said, evenly, "Ezra, consider this party my thank-you for looking after me back then. After today, don't come find me again."

"Babe, it's my birthday. Quit saying things you don't mean, okay?"

And with that Ezra, cool as anything, pulled out his phone and started calling his friends around.

At the party, he bragged to everyone, every other sentence out of his mouth,

"Millie insisted on throwing me this party. As long as she's happy, it doesn't matter how much she spends."

"My money's hers. She can spend it however she likes."

"See that? Her manicure cost a thousand bucks, and I think it was worth every penny. Want me to have Millie send that salon to your girlfriend?"

The classmates whooped and egged us on, hollering for me to kiss Ezra as a birthday blessing.

The room was buzzing, loud and giddy.

Ezra ate it up, floating on it, gazing at me with a face full of bliss.

I didn't have the patience to keep up the act. I picked up the mic off the table and said, plainly, in front of everyone,

"Everybody settle down. Ezra and I already broke up."