Chapter 3

From that day on, I started paying close attention to Bella's every move.

I realized her whole laid-back persona was nothing but a well-rehearsed act. Every so-called bold comment, every time she acted like one of the guys, all of it was carefully calculated.

She'd deliberately slam the table, raise her voice, and chug her drink in front of Zack, making sure he saw her as not like other women. But when it came to other men, she knew exactly how to turn on the charm.

Her talk about being one of the guys was another trap. She'd lump every guy into the brotherhood, making them drop their guard, and then, under the pretense of being friends, she'd soak up all the benefits of their attention.

And for those guys' girlfriends or wives, that whole bro thing was an impossible puzzle. If one dared to question her, one would come off as petty, jealous, or as if one didn't understand their so-called pure friendship.

Honestly, that was pretty clever.

I had to admit, I kind of admired Bella for it.

But admiration aside, I wasn't about to sit around and do nothing.

Things took a turn that Saturday night.

That day, Zack actually left the office on time for once. We had plans to hit up a new restaurant.

I'd even put on some makeup and my new dress, feeling pretty good about myself.

We'd barely pulled out of the neighborhood when Zack's phone started ringing.

It was Bella.

Zack put her on speaker. He never hid these calls, probably thinking it made him look squeaky clean.

"Zack. Emergency." Bella's voice was urgent but carried too much force, nothing like someone in actual distress. "My car broke down on the road. Can you swing by and take a look?"

Zack glanced at me before answering, "Did you call the insurance company?"

"Yeah, I did, but they said it'll take an hour. I'm a girl stuck out here on a pitch-black road, and honestly, it's scary." Bella's voice wobbled, the tremor perfectly timed.

"I know you and Anne have plans tonight, but maybe you could drop her off first and then swing back for me?"

That was a masterstroke.

On the surface, Bella was being thoughtful, but really, she was reminding Zack that if he didn't show up, he'd be the jerk who left his bro hanging on the side of the road.

And by bringing me up, she basically handed the decision over to Zack. If he decided to go, it was all on him, not because she asked.

Sure enough, Zack hesitated.

He glanced at the steering wheel, then at me.

That conflicted look on his face told me everything. In his mind, Bella and I were always on opposite sides of the scale, but Bella's side always had that extra weight: the so-called bro code.

"Just go," I said, my voice so steady it even caught me off guard.

Zack let out a breath of relief, swung the car around, and drove toward where Bella was stranded.

I sat in the passenger seat, watching the streetlights blur past, and made up my mind.

When we got to the spot, Bella was leaning against the hood of her white car, wearing an oversized hoodie and those tight yoga pants, the kind that really show off her curves.

As soon as she saw our car, she straightened up, waved at Zack, and flashed him a big, bright smile.

"Zack, I knew you'd come through for me." She leaned into the car window. When she spotted me, she added, "Anne, you're here too? Sorry for crashing your date night."

But there wasn't a hint of apology in her voice.

Zack got out to help her with the car, and the two of them stood side by side at the front, heads bent together as they peered under the hood. Bella kept inching closer, their shoulders practically touching.

I sat in the car, watching them through the windshield, and couldn't help but smile.

Then I pulled out my phone, scrolled through my contacts to a number I hadn't used in forever, and fired off a text: [Hey Ethan, you there? I need your help.]

Less than thirty seconds later, my phone started ringing.

"Anne?" Ethan's voice was deep and familiar, tinged with surprise and a bit of excitement. "Well, look who finally remembered me. Took you long enough, huh?"