Chapter 2
"Babe," I purred, dragging out the word.
Ethan hummed in response, his hand coming up to cover mine, giving my fingers a gentle squeeze. "What is it?"
"Your dream girl is back in town," I whispered, leaning close to his ear, mimicking the giddy tone from the group chat.
"And the old gang wants you to go rekindle that old flame."
His hand stilled.
He looked up, his eyes unreadable behind his glasses.
He seemed completely unfazed, as if I had just commented on the weather.
"Not going," he stated flatly, about to return to his work.
"Come on." I pressed my hand on his papers. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The entire class is ready to be your wingman, to help you get back together. Aren't you touched?"
He finally put down his pen, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He swiveled his chair to face me, fixing his deep eyes on mine.
"Lauren Rivers," he said, using my full name with a familiar hint of exasperation. "What are you plotting now?"
"I'm plotting to get a front-row seat to the drama of the decade," I said, a grin spreading across my face. "It would be a tragedy to miss it. So, you have to go."
His brow furrowed. "That's ridiculous."
"Not ridiculous, not at all," I insisted, ticking off the points on my fingers.
"Think about it. The ex-girlfriend you were once madly in love with has just crossed an ocean to come back to you.
"Your old friends are emotionally invested, dying to see you two reunite. It's the plot of a romance novel!"
I paused, leaning in until our noses were almost touching, and lowered my voice.
"And I, your secretly-married-for-three-years wife, will be sitting in the audience, popcorn in hand, watching you, the leading man, figure out how to play this 'epic reunion' scene."
He stared into my sparkling eyes, keeping silent for a long moment.
Just as I thought he might actually get angry, he reached out, pulled me onto his lap, and tucked me against his chest.
He rested his chin on the top of my head, nuzzling my hair.
"You really get a kick out of seeing me suffer, don't you?" His voice was muffled but laced with an unmistakable thread of indulgence.
"Of course," I said without a hint of hesitation. "After all, none of them know.
"The legendary ice-cold genius who got his heart broken by the school queen was conquered years ago by me, the nobody jock."
The feeling was intoxicating.
It was like hoarding the world's most precious treasure, a secret that was all mine. Everyone else thought it was lost or that it belonged to someone else.
Only I knew that this treasure was at home, cooking me dinner and blow-drying my hair.
This private joy was my favorite drug.
A low laugh rumbled in his chest, the vibration traveling through me.
"Fine," he relented.
"We'll go," he said, pulling me closer, his voice slipping into that affectionate tone he only used when we were alone.
"You can watch all you want."
The weekend arrived fast.
The reunion was at a trendy karaoke bar downtown, handpicked by David for its flashy, "impressive" vibe, nothing but the best for their returning queen.
Ethan drove, and I rode shotgun.
My phone was a constant buzz of notifications from the group chat, where a live feed of the party was already underway.
[Samantha's here! Holy crap, she's a thousand times more beautiful in person!]
In the photo, Samantha stood at the entrance of the private room in a stunning white dress, smiling as classmates swarmed around her.
[Where's Ethan? The other main character is late! Ethan, where are you?]
[Relax! The leading man always makes a dramatic entrance!]