Chapter 2

After putting the seafood chowder in the microwave, I quietly pushed open the bedroom door. The nightstand lamp was still on.

This morning, Chloe suddenly told me she wasn't feeling well and couldn't make it to the reunion.

Since I had already braced myself for this, I wasn't surprised. I just told her to get some rest.

But seeing her curled up under the duvet, staring at her phone with flushed, smiling cheeks, still made my chest tighten.

I walked straight toward the bed.

Hearing me approach, she instantly locked her phone and shoved it under her pillow.

Ignoring her guilty movements, I lifted her up from the bed and pulled her into my arms.

Only when I held her warm, soft body tight could I actually feel that she was my girlfriend.

She was the girl I had been with for three years, the one I wanted to build a future with.

"I brought you some seafood chowder. Want to have some?" I asked softly, burying my face in her neck.

Maybe she noticed something was off with my tone. She reached up and gently rubbed the back of my neck.

"I'll make you some honey water first. It helps with the hangover."

I didn’t answer. I kept my face hidden against her shoulder.

The phone she had hurriedly stuffed under the pillow slipped out slightly. The screen lit up with several consecutive Snapchat notifications from Julian.

"I'm flying back tomorrow."

"It's been so long. Want to grab dinner?"