Chapter 1
The day we were supposed to get our marriage license, Ryan Winters stood me up.
I called him over a dozen times. When he finally picked up, a woman answered.
"Hey Sophie, Ryan was exhausted last night and crashed. If you need something, I can pass it along when he wakes up."
I hung up immediately.
Eleven years of trying and waiting. Time to move on.
As I turned to leave, I bumped into a guy. He had this pleasant, subtle woody scent.
I blurted out, "Hi, want to get married?"
He blinked, then nodded. "I'll grab my ID."
*****
I couldn't believe I'd just said that.
At least he didn't think I was crazy and call the cops.
Before I knew it, we'd registered, taken a photo, and walked out with a marriage license.
I only learned his name when I saw it printed there: Ethan Woods.
I reached out my hand. "I'm Sophie Summers, by the way."
His grip was warm. "Ethan Woods."
He scribbled down his address and phone number, then rushed off.
I slipped the marriage license into my bag and headed home.
Ryan called back many times. I ignored him.
Finally, he texted.
[I was helping Claire move yesterday. Her landlord was rushing her. By the time we finished, it was late, and I lost track of time.]
Then: [Mike and Sam were there too.]
I replied: [Alright.]
This wasn't the first time Ryan had ditched me.
On our five-year anniversary, I'd been grinning like an idiot, ready to cut the cake, when Claire Goodwin called. He dropped everything and left me standing there alone.
That was the first time I had heard her name.
At first, I thought they were just close friends. Then Claire posted a photo of them together.
The caption: [The stars and him.]
Ryan's friends flooded the comments.
[Hey, Claire!]
[Wishing you two forever!]
[Now you two actually look like a couple—way better than Sophie.]
His friends never had any respect for me.
His friends never respected me. Since I was the one chasing Ryan, they saw me as pathetic.
I'd loved Ryan so much.
I was frantically calling him, demanding to know where he was and what Claire's post meant.
Ryan hung up on me, sounding annoyed.
I tracked them down using the photo. When I got there, everyone was chanting for them to kiss.
"Ryan!" I shouted.
The second he saw me, he turned his head, dodging Claire's kiss.
"Sophie, don't be mad. We were just messing around.
"Ryan lost Truth or Dare," Claire said.
She looked sweet and innocent, cheeks pink, as she slipped behind Ryan.
Ryan frowned. "What are you doing here?"
He stood in front of her protectively, like her personal shield.
My eyes burned. My whole body shook as I fought not to cry.
"My boyfriend's about to kiss another girl and I'm not supposed to show up?"
Ryan pressed his lips together, irritation all over his face.
"Stop it and just go home," he said.
My breakdown got a casual "stop it."
I used to think Ryan's eyes were beautiful—like stars.
Now they just looked annoyed that I was ruining his fun.
"Sophie, don't blame Ryan. It's my fault," Claire said, dabbing at her eyes.
Ryan's friends jumped in too—the same ones who'd been egging them on.
When I stayed quiet, they dropped the act and went straight for the throat.
"Sophie, just because we joke about you guys getting married, you think you're actually his wife?"
"You're just another one of Ryan's simps."
"He's only with you because you won't leave him alone. Like he'd ever actually want someone like you."
"That's enough!" Ryan snapped.
My heart twisted.
His friends' attitude reflected his own.
I'd been desperate to win them over, too stupid to see it was pointless.
He looked at me blankly, his tone condescending. "We'll talk at home."
I stepped back and walked away alone.
Now, two years later, it was our seventh anniversary—11 years since I'd first fallen for him.
All my love for him had finally burned out.
Ryan, I didn't love you anymore.