Chapter 3

Evan and I picked Tessa up outside her building.

She usually climbed into the back seat, hooked her arm through mine, and left Evan to sit beside the driver. That morning, she stopped with her hand on the rear door, then changed direction.

“I’m a little dizzy,” she said. “I’ll sit up front.”

Her eyelids were dusted with pink shadow. If I hadn’t read her confession, I would never have known she had spent the night crying.

Evan didn’t get out to opentake myhis doorusual forseat herbeside the driver. He didn’t look at her either.

Once the car moved, he took my hand.

He had always played with my fingers when we sat together—opening them, closing them, tracing the joints with his thumb. That morning, his concentration felt excessive. He kept his head down as if my hand contained instructions he could follow.

After several blocks, he said, “Your wrist looks bare.”

He wore the plain band we had exchanged after I accepted his proposal. He turned my hand over and circled my wrist.

“I’ll buy you a bracelet.”

Tessa turned from the passenger seat and lifted her own arm. A pale green jade bangle rested against her skin.

“Get one like mine,” she said. “Jade is supposed to bring—”

“Tessa.”

Evan didn’t raise his voice. He only closed his eyes.

The smile slipped from her face.

She lowered her arm. When her gaze met mine, she forced the smile back, then looked forward again.

Her hand rose quickly to wipe beneath one eye.

A small broken sound came from the front seat.

Evan’s thumb stopped on my ring finger.

Then his hand opened.

The car’s air-conditioning blew across my skin. The band on my finger felt less like a promise than a mark left by someone who had already changed his mind.

I drew my hand into my lap and looked out the window.

Neither of them asked why.