Chapter 1

My boyfriend’s assistant posted on Instagram.

Her caption read: "I mentioned how boring rainy days are, and he booked a flight right away."

The attached photo showed Ethan smiling, leaning across a candlelit table to put food on her plate.

It brought back memories.

Last winter, when I was burning up with a 102.5°F fever, I called him and asked if he could come over. He said it was too far and that we’d talk tomorrow.

Last month, I told him I wanted to see the ocean. He said, "Let’s wait for Memorial Day weekend. I promise I’ll take you then."

But when Memorial Day weekend arrived, he said his project was too busy and told me to go ahead without him.

So, I booked the flight alone. I made the itinerary alone. I stood in the lines alone. And at the seafood diner, I told the host, "Just a table for one, please."

As for Maya? All she had to do was say, "Rainy days are so boring."

And just like that, he booked a flight, popped open a bottle of red wine, and took photos of the sunset through her floor-to-ceiling windows.

It wasn't that he was busy. I just wasn't worth his time.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan: "Where are you? I’ll fly out to meet you tomorrow."

I replied: "Don't bother."

He wrote back immediately: "What is that supposed to mean? Stop acting up."

I stared at those three words for a long time. Then, I smiled.

I pressed down on the chat, hit delete, and cleared our entire message history.

For the first time in two years, my phone felt incredibly light.