Chapter 4

On our seventh wedding anniversary, Evan didn't text me until four in the afternoon.

Seven tonight. Our usual place.

He didn't mention what had happened on Saturday.

He didn't ask why I had spent the past three nights sleeping in the guest room either.

Still, I stared at that message for a long time before slipping the gift I had prepared weeks ago into my bag.

It was a slim photo album.

Seven years. Seven photographs.

The first showed us eating pizza on the floor of our cramped rental right after we got married.

I had left the final page empty, except for one line.

For wherever we go next.

At six fifty, I arrived at the restaurant where we'd had our first date.

The host recognized me.

"Happy anniversary, Mrs. Bennett. Mr. Bennett is already here."

I smiled.

The host opened the door to our private dining room.

The moment I looked inside, I stopped.

Evan was sitting at the table.

Serena was sitting beside him.

A glass of champagne stood in front of her, and her eyes were slightly red. The second she saw me, she rose to her feet.

"Laurel."

I didn't move.

Evan stood and took two steps toward me.

"You're here."

"Why is she here?"

The smile vanished from Serena's face.

"I knew this was a bad idea."

"Serena—"

"No, I should go." She grabbed her purse. "It's your wedding anniversary. I shouldn't be here."

I looked at Evan.

If he had said, "Yes, you should go," things might not have ended the way they did.

But he reached out and put a hand on Serena's arm.

"Sit down."

Then he turned to me.

"Her divorce became official today."

For a moment, I thought I had misheard him.

"So?"

"Laurel."

"I asked, so what?"

Evan lowered his voice. "She didn't want to be alone."

I laughed.

"Do you remember what today is?"

"Of course I do."

"Are you sure?"

His expression darkened.

"Don't do this. I only invited her to dinner. It's not like the three of us can't celebrate together."

Together.

I glanced down at the table.

Two place settings had been arranged side by side. A third had clearly been added later on the opposite side of the table.

Serena followed my gaze.

"I can move."

She said it, but her hand remained firmly planted on the back of her chair.

Evan pointed to the seat across from them.

"Honey, you can sit there."

I didn't move.

"That's my seat."

The silence that followed was almost absurd.

Evan looked at the chair, then back at me.

"What?"

"I said that's my seat."

"It's just a chair."

Just an old friend who had recently gotten divorced and needed someone to take care of her.

Every individual thing was too small to justify my anger.

So why was I always the one expected to step aside?

Serena finally stood.

"That's enough. I'm leaving."

Her eyes instantly filled with tears.

"I already lost one family today. I don't want to destroy yours too."

"No one said you destroyed anything," Evan replied immediately.

I looked at him.

"Evan."

He turned back to me.

"Today is our wedding anniversary."

"I know!"

His voice suddenly rose.

"It's because today is our anniversary that I thought you wouldn't mind!"

I stared at him.

Evan seemed to realize how wrong that sounded. His voice softened.

"Laurel, what I mean is that we've been married for seven years.

Our relationship is solid. Serena's marriage officially ended today, and she needs a friend.

Why do you have to make an issue of this tonight?"

So that was it.

Because I had more, I was supposed to give something up.

Because our marriage was stable, it was safe to sacrifice.

Because I didn't fall apart, my pain could always come last.

I took the photo album out of my bag and placed it on the table.

Evan looked down at it.

"What's this?"

"Your anniversary gift."

His expression finally changed.

"Laurel…"

"Enjoy your dinner."

I turned and walked out.

Evan didn't follow me.

I had driven two blocks before realizing I'd left my coat hanging over the back of the chair.

At first, I didn't want to go back.

The coat wasn't worth much.

But my mother's brooch was pinned inside it.

Ten minutes later, I was standing outside the private dining room again.

The door hadn't closed all the way.

I had just raised my hand when I heard Serena's voice.

"She really left?"

Evan sounded irritated.

"Let her cool off."

"What if she doesn't come back?"

A brief silence followed.

Then Evan laughed.

"She'll come back."

Serena asked softly, "Why are you so sure?"

My hand froze against the door.

Evan answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Because Laurel would never actually leave me."

For several seconds, the room was silent.

Through the narrow gap in the door, I watched Serena walk over to him.

She lifted her face.

Evan didn't step back.

A second later, she kissed him.

And my husband—

Closed his eyes.