Page 45 of Vegas with my Ex’s Best Friends

Same answer she’s been giving me for days.

“Connor gets back soon.”

“Okay.”

“If I tell the guys first, he’s going to lose his mind.”

“Probably,” she says. “But avoiding it hasn’t exactly made you calmer.”

I exhale hard through my nose.

“You don’t get it.”

“No, I do.” She leans back against her counter. “You got your heart ripped out by Andrew, moved to Portland, built this super controlled little life where nobody can surprise you anymore, and now suddenly you care about people again. That’s the actual problem here.”

I go quiet.

Because unfortunately that one lands.

Jules watches my face for a second.

“You don’t have to decide everything tonight,” she says more gently. “But you do have to stop acting like if you ignore this long enough it’ll magically turn into a less terrifying situation.”

“I hate when you’re reasonable.”

“I know.”

“I hate that you know me this well.”

She snorts and picks her wine back up. “Again: earned it.”

Despite myself, I laugh a little.

Then she points the glass at me.

“Call me after.”

“After what?”

“After you tell them.” She gives me a look over the rim. “You’re going to eventually. I can literally hear it happening.”

I end the call not knowing if she’s right or just annoyingly confident.

Either way, it stays with me.

Chapter sixteen

Chapter Sixteen—Ethan

Harrington chooses Fremont Street. Old Vegas. Loud, crowded, and unapologetic. The kind of place where history still matters more than polish.

We arrive together. Liam and Andrew are still talking about the Henderson-Ellis close when we step inside. Harrington shows up with the Chicago associate who spent the entire flight developing strong opinions about the acquisition numbers. The table fills quickly and the evening settles.

Riley slips ahead of us to take the open seat directly across from me. Deep burgundy dress, fitted at the waist, collarbone bare, hair pinned up so her neck is exposed. I have lived in the same penthouse with this woman for months. I have watched her with discipline and distance. None of it prepared me for the way she moves through the room.

She picks up her menu without looking in my direction.

I should've asked for a different seat.