Chapter 3

I left work at five thirty on the dot.

I didn't ask Preston to pick me up. I took an Uber back to the hotel for my suitcase, then rode to the high-rise where Preston and I lived.

I was rolling my suitcase up the front drive when I saw them waiting by the entrance: Preston, Ryder, Kenzie, and the other two guys they'd grown up with, Chase and Tyler.

They were all gathered around Ryder's Porsche. Ryder was sitting in the driver's seat with the door hanging open. Chase was running a hand along the hood like he was petting it, and Kenzie had her phone out, filming the whole thing for her story.

Preston spotted me and lit up. "Sloane! Come here, come here."

When I got close, he pointed at the silver car. "Won it off Ryder on the golf course yesterday."

He hooked an arm around my waist and kissed my cheek. "Not bad, huh? Your man's got skills."

It felt like someone had stuffed a wet towel down my throat. I pushed down the urge to gag.

"Real impressive."

It was, wasn't it? He'd gambled with how much his girlfriend loved him and walked away with a car. He'd won it in the ugliest way possible, and here he was, showing it off in front of his building like a trophy.

Ryder climbed out of the car. He looked at me first, then tossed the keys to Preston. "She's all yours."

Preston caught them and slid behind the wheel. He gripped it, tested the pedals, and then grinned up at me. "Hop in, babe. I'll take you for a spin."

I shook my head and opened my mouth to say no, but Kenzie got there first.

"Pres! Are you serious? You're ditching your friends for your girlfriend already? You literally promised I'd get the first ride!"

Preston blinked like he was trying to remember. "I did? Okay, whatever. Get in."

Kenzie beamed and turned to me with a playful little pout. "Sorry, Sloane! He promised me first. I'll keep the seat warm for you."

She hopped into the passenger seat, looking thrilled with herself. She was halfway through buckling her seatbelt when she stopped.

She slid her hand down into the gap between the seat and the center console and dug around. When she pulled it out, she was holding a set of keys.

"Ryder, what's this doing in your car? Whose are these?"

There was a little charm hanging off the ring, a white enamel crescent moon.

I'd bought it a few months ago. It was half of a matching set for couples. Preston had the other half, a gold sun, and if you brought the two close together, the magnets inside snapped them into each other.

I was a little surprised. I'd figured it would take a few days before Preston found them. Leave it to a girl to notice right away.

Kenzie lit up like she'd found the juiciest gossip of the year. "Oh my God, you guys, look! Ryder has the cutest thing in his car."

Chase and Tyler crowded in to look.

"That's definitely a girl's keychain."

"It's a couples charm. My ex got me the exact same kind. Ryder, you dog! You've got a girlfriend and you didn't tell us?"

Ryder froze. Before he could stop himself, his eyes went straight to me.

The only person whose face fell was Preston. The second he saw those keys, his grin was gone.

"Huh. Those look familiar."

He took them out of Kenzie's hand and turned them over, studying them.

"This is... my key. To my place."

He looked up and locked eyes with Ryder. His voice went flat.

"Ryder. Why is my girlfriend's key in your car? You only picked this car up yesterday, didn't you?"