Chapter 4

My stomach dropped.

I pulled my hand back.

Julian's smile faltered.

"Goodnight," I said softly.

He stood there for a long time before finally pulling his pillow back against his chest. "I'll be in the master bedroom if you need anything."

At the door, he paused and glanced back. "I'll leave the hallway light on for you."

I looked at the thin sliver of light cutting through the dark. "Turn it off."

Julian blinked, caught off guard. "Aren't you afraid of the dark?"

I pulled the covers up to my chin. "Not tonight."

He opened his mouth to say something else, but his phone buzzed.

Zoe's name flashed across the screen.

Julian instantly pressed the power button, killing the screen.

"She's probably just asking about the gifts for tomorrow," he muttered, keeping his eyes on me. "I'll take this outside."

The door clicked shut.

Through the solid wood, I could hear the muffled, low rumble of Julian's voice, though the words were completely unintelligible.

I buried my head under the covers.

My phone screen lit up with a text from Zoe.

Zoe: [Is he asleep?]

The message hovered in the chat for a split second before the notification popped up: [Zoe unsent a message.]

A new text replaced it.

[Are you asleep?]

I stared at that unsent marker. My chest felt a dull, grinding ache.

After a minute, I typed back: [Not yet.]

Zoe called almost immediately.

I picked up.

Her background was dead silent except for the faint whistle of the wind.

"Mia," she said.

Her voice was softer than usual when she said my name.

"Are you a little upset about today?" she asked.

I lay flat on my back, staring blindly at the ceiling. "Just exhausted."

She went quiet for a few beats. "It's my fault for dragging Julian out to look at those gifts. You coming home early caught me off guard, too."

I didn't say anything.

Zoe let out a forced laugh. "Your boyfriend is completely useless, though. I asked him what he was wearing to meet your dad, and he pulled out this black button-down.

"I almost lost it. Who dresses like they're hitting the club to meet the parents for the first time?"

She kept complaining about him.

But the easier the insults flowed from her lips, the colder my hands became.

"Mia," she said, her tone suddenly shifting to dead serious. "A guy like Julian knows exactly what people want to hear.

"Make sure he actually steps up tomorrow. Don't let him just turn on the charm and let him off the hook."

I closed my eyes.

"Zoe," I said.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Do you think he'd ever lie to me?"

She went quiet.

Even the wind seemed to freeze.

After a long pause, Zoe let out a breathy laugh. "He wouldn't dare."

Her voice sounded slightly raspy. "If he ever lied to you, I'd kill him myself."

I gave a quiet, wordless hum.

After hanging up, I tossed my phone onto the pillow.

In the dark, no light seeped from under the guest room door.

I used to be terrified of this kind of darkness.

But tonight, I lay there with my eyes wide open until dawn, never once reaching to turn on the light.

*****

The next morning, Julian was up early.

When I finally walked out of the guest room, he was in the living room ironing a shirt.

He had a crisp white shirt and dark gray slacks ready, and his hair was already neatly styled.

Hearing my footsteps, he turned with a bright smile. "Morning, Mia."

Breakfast was already set on the dining table.

Warm oatmeal topped with blueberries, alongside a plate of scrambled eggs.

Julian knew I had a sensitive stomach, so he always strictly policed me from eating anything too greasy or acidic.

Once, when I woke up with agonizing stomach cramps in the middle of the night, he threw on a jacket and rushed out to a twenty-four-hour pharmacy.

He came back soaking wet from the rain, fiercely shielding the medicine box and a container of hot chicken broth.

He had crouched by the bedside, looking both frustrated and incredibly tender. "Babe, you're going to be the death of me."

Zoe knew about that night, too.

She came over the next day, crossing her arms as she critically watched Julian heating up soup in the kitchen. "Not bad.

"Anyone can buy meds. Keeping her from getting sick in the first place is what actually counts."

Julian had just nodded. "Point taken."

Now, the aroma of breakfast wafted through the air, but I had absolutely no appetite.

Julian walked over and studied my face. "Didn't sleep well?"

I shook my head.

He reached out to check my forehead, but I ducked away, reaching for a mug on the table. "I'm just hungry."

Julian's hand hung in the air for a fraction of a second before he smoothly pulled it back. "Eat up, then."

I had barely sat down when the doorbell rang.

Julian went to answer it.

Zoe stood at the door holding two gift bags.

She was wearing light makeup today, her under-eye circles carefully concealed.

There was no leftover glitter on her skin, and she had swapped her heels for a pair of simple leather loafers.

The moment she stepped inside, her eyes locked onto me. "You're up? Why do you look so awful?"

She set the bags on the table and reached out to touch my forehead.

I tilted my head away.

Her hand froze in midair.

Julian looked over.

I picked up my spoon. "I'm fine."

Zoe dropped her hand, forcing a tight smile. "Alright. The princess is in a mood today. I'll steer clear."

She sat across from me and opened the bags. "This is for your dad, some premium roast coffee.

"And this is for your mom, gourmet pastries. I made sure they aren't too sweet."

Julian leaned against the edge of the table. "Approved by Miss Miller herself? Guess I might actually survive today."

Zoe shot him a cold look. "You better pray you do."

She turned back to me. "Mia, if your dad grills him about work, don't jump in to save him.

"A man needs to handle the parents himself. Don't just cover for him."

I took a bite of the oatmeal.

It tasted like nothing.