Chapter 3

At 7:52 the next morning, I stepped out of a cab in front of the station with my suitcase.

Gabriel was waiting beneath the departure board. He wore a dark coat, and there were tired lines around his eyes that hadn't been there when we'd trained together years ago.

He didn't hug me or ask for an explanation.

He simply took the smaller bag from my shoulder. "You made it."

"Barely."

"The train leaves in eight minutes."

I nodded and tried not to look back.

"Mara!"

Luke's voice carried across the station.

He pushed through the crowd with Elise behind him. She was still wearing his sweatshirt beneath her coat.

Luke stopped in front of me, breathless and furious. "You left without waking me."

"That was the idea."

His eyes moved to Gabriel. "Stay out of this."

Gabriel set my bag beside my suitcase. "That decision belongs to Mara."

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" Luke demanded. "You offered her that place because you wanted her."

"I offered it six months ago."

Luke looked at me. "Six months?"

"I turned it down six months ago because you asked me to stay."

For a moment, guilt flickered across his face.

Elise touched his arm. "Luke, people are staring."

He immediately shifted closer to shield her from the passing crowd.

Even now, his first instinct was to protect her.

"Go home, Elise," I said.

Luke's attention snapped back to me. "Don't speak to her like that."

"You followed me to the station, and you're still more worried about her feelings."

Gabriel checked the departure board. "Six minutes, Mara."

Luke grabbed the handle of my suitcase. "You're not leaving until we settle this."

"We settled it last night."

"No, you decided everything on your own."

I stared at him. "You decided I didn't deserve to be thanked. You decided Elise belonged on that stage. You decided she belonged in our home. Now I get to decide where I go."

His grip tightened. "And you're choosing him?"

"I'm choosing a life where I don't have to beg someone to see me."

Elise's expression changed.

Until then, she'd looked pleased with herself. But when Luke's face went pale, jealousy sharpened her features.

"Let her go," she said. "If she wants to run off with another man, let her."

Luke didn't release my suitcase.

"Mara, listen to me. Go home. We'll talk without an audience."

"Like you talked to Elise in her hotel room?"

"Nothing happened."

"Then why did you lie about being there?"

"Because I knew you'd twist it."

Elise gave a brittle laugh. "She doesn't have to twist anything."

Luke turned to her. "Elise."

"What? You're standing here acting as if she is the only one you've hurt."

"This is not the time."

"It was never the time when I asked you."

The boarding announcement sounded overhead.

Final call for the 8:00 service to Cedar Bay.

Gabriel looked at me. "Three minutes."

I reached for my suitcase. Luke still wouldn't let go.

"Move," I said.

"Not until you tell me you'll come back."

"I won't."

Luke's face crumpled for one unguarded second. He looked less angry than frightened.

Elise saw it too.

Her hand disappeared into her coat pocket.

"You want to know what Luke was doing in my room?" she asked.

Luke went rigid. "Elise, stop."

Elise held up my bracelet.

"He put it on me in the guest room after you walked out of the apartment last night," she said. "He told me I wouldn't be sleeping there much longer."

Luke's face went white. "Elise, shut up."

I took the handle of my suitcase from him and turned toward the platform.

Gabriel picked up my smaller bag. "We have less than a minute."

Luke followed us to the gate. "You think he's helping you because he's kind? He's been waiting for a chance to get you alone."

Gabriel stopped.

"You're the one who called me six months ago."

I turned around. "Luke called you?"

Luke's expression changed. "Gabriel, don't."

Gabriel kept his eyes on him. "Tell her what you made me promise."

The boarding alarm began to sound.