“You know me, workaholic, but who am I talking to?! Your husband is no better.”
“True.”
As I walked in, I could already hear Ethan and Logan’s voices. On the patio, my favorite people—Alex, Ava, Ethan, Summer, and Logan—sat on the couch debating who wouldcrack first if we got high and a cop stopped us. At least, that’s what I caught from snippets of the conversation.
“Ethan, for sure,” Summer said without hesitation, and everyone burst out laughing. Except Ethan, of course.
“How do you figure that?” he asked, clearly offended.
“It’s not Logan—he’s trained for stressful, illegal situations. Alex smoked all through college, so he’s used to that. I can out-smoke you any time of the day, and Ava and Norah would flirt their way out since we’d all be stopped together,” Summer declared, sipping her wine and smiling warmly at her husband.
“Listen, if necessary, I can disguise myself. I’ll just blend in with the group. Become invisible to the naked eye.”
“Yeah, to a blind person maybe,” Logan added.
I stepped through the patio door, and everyone greeted me.
“What about Luke?” he said, pointing at me as if he had a solid defense. “Last time he got high, he tried to convince the whole building that someone was out to get him. Full-on paranoia.”
“Hey, man, I had thirteen missed calls from your sister that I didn’t see until the next day—so technically, I wasn’t wrong. Someone was after me,” I fired back.
The girls burst out laughing while I looked around for something to open the bottle. Norah beat me to it, walking out of the kitchen with a glass and a corkscrew in hand.
“Thanks,” I said, winking at her before pouring a glass and sinking into the absurdly comfortable couch. After all that running, I knew I’d feel sore tomorrow, but the couch felt like heaven.
Logan and Norah’s place had a rustic charm, even though it sat in the heart of the city. Walking inside felt like escaping to a cozy farmhouse or mountain lodge. Wooden furniture, exposed stone, and wide windows overlooking a pond gave it that specialfeel. It was all Norah’s touch. Logan couldn’t decorate to save his life.
My favorite part was her studio, with a tall, vintage bookcase that climbed to the ceiling and plants cascading off the shelves. We’d marked many birthdays and milestones in this house. Created memories. It always felt like home.
“Hey, Williams mentioned you got an offer from another company and might take it. He asked me to convince you to stay,” Logan announced casually for everyone to hear, shifting the conversation.
“What?” Ava exclaimed, thrilled like any good friend would be hearing exciting news.
“WHAT???” Alex shouted, far less happy. The contrast was glaring.
“You’re leaving just as I’m getting promoted to work with you, you big dildo?”
“Calm down, Alexandro.” In college, I’d caught Alex watchingEl Zorro, la Espada y la Rosa, and ever since, his occasional dramatic flair earned him the nickname.
“I’m not leaving. At least, I don’t think so. I got an offer, that’s it. No idea how Williams found out, but he called me in and offered me a raise.”
Alex’s frown eased, as did his flared nostrils.
“I told him I’d decide by the end of the week. I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t planning on leaving.”
“Still, getting scouted by competitors is worth celebrating,” Ethan said, ever the annoyingly cheerful one.
“Williams must be sweating,” Logan added. “The firm is launching new products soon. It’s not the time to lose our top sales guy.”
I wasn’t shy. I knew my strengths, and I was good at what I did. Williams likely knew that too and understood I wouldn’t stay in a place that didn’t value me. Yes, loyalty was one of themost important things for me, but when it came to my goals, I was very persistent. If I weren’t happy with my job, I’d use every resource available to change the situation instead of staying stuck, complaining about life, my boss, or colleagues. I refused to be trapped.
“Then let’s raise a glass to companies trying to steal one of us because he’s one of the best,” Ava said, lifting her glass with a cheer. Everybody chimed in.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket again. Unease crept in. Childhood memories of my parents’ endless disputes over dividing or settling things flooded my mind, stirring a wave of anger and exhaustion. Adults acting like children. The irony of being stuck in this guilt-filled threesome with them wasn’t lost on me.
I silenced my phone, deciding that everyone I cared to talk to was already on this couch.
“Hey, you okay?” Norah asked as she sat down on the couch.
