Chapter 1

The day I went home with my boyfriend, Adam Bennett, for his sister's engagement party, he left his phone at the airport security checkpoint.

The staff asked someone traveling with him to unlock it for verification.

I had barely reached for it when his childhood friend, Vivian Lane, rattled off the six-digit passcode.

The screen lit up. His sister laughed. "Emmy, your girlfriend knows you better than you do. She's got nothing on Vivi."

His cousin took the phone, then handed it straight to Vivian. "Vivian, you should hold onto Adam's phone. You've always been the one who keeps track of his stuff."

Adam kicked him. "Cut it out."

Nobody thought there was anything strange about it.

After we cleared security, Adam couldn't open his suitcase. Vivian gave them the code again.

One of his childhood friends bought coffee and handed it to her. "Keep an eye on Adam. Don't let him drink it on an empty stomach."

Adam's sister pulled out some motion sickness pills and handed them to Vivian too. "He only listens to you."

In the end, Adam even shoved the document holder with his ID and boarding pass into Vivian's bag. "Keep this for me."

Only then did Vivian look at me. "Emmy, you're not going to get the wrong idea again, are you?"

Adam's sister laughed. "It's been seven years. She's used to it by now."

I smiled too. In the past, whenever I heard things like that, I'd rush to prove I wasn't bothered. This time, I said nothing. I lowered my head, opened the ticket app, and changed my return flight to tomorrow.

After we landed, we headed straight to the beach house Adam's sister, Jessica Bennett, had reserved.

The engagement party was set up there.

As soon as dinner hit the table, Adam slid a plate of cheese pasta right in front of me. "You love pasta, right? Give it a try."

I sat there, not touching it.

He glanced up at me. "What's wrong?"

"I'm allergic to cheese," I said.

Adam's fork froze mid-air.

Jessica chuckled. "Since when are you allergic to cheese? How come Adam doesn't know?"

I stared at Adam. "Second year we were together, I had cheese and ended up in the ER. You were the one who took me.

"The doctor literally told you, right in front of me, that I should stay away from cheese."

The whole table went silent for a second.

Adam finally remembered, his face flashing awkward, and he took the pasta away. "I forgot. That's all. I'll get you something else."

He tapped my bowl again, half teasing, half coaxing. "Don't look at me like I'm trying to kill you."

Vivian jumped in to smooth things over. "He gets so wrapped up in work. He forgets everything. Don't hold it against him."

Just as she finished, she knocked her finger against the table, and her fresh manicure split right down the middle, a bit of blood oozing out.

Adam's expression changed instantly as he grabbed her hand. "Don't touch it. You know your blood clots slowly, right?"

Vivian laughed, a little helpless. "It's a bit of blood. Don't be so serious."

"Who was it that bled for half an hour from a tiny cut last time?" Adam turned to the owner for a first aid kit, then expertly picked out a box of white band-aids. "Skip the clear ones. You're allergic to that glue."

I sat across from him, watching as he carefully wrapped Vivian's fingertip.

He forgot I'd been rushed to the ER.

But he remembered exactly which band-aid Vivian couldn't use.

Jessica sighed beside us. "Adam's always so attentive. He still remembers every little scrape Vivi had as a kid."

Adam finally looked up at me.

Guess he noticed I wasn't looking too happy, because he reached over and pinched my cheek. "Alright, my lady, I really forgot. When we get back, I'll write down all your food restrictions, okay?

"Don't look at me like I owe you a lot."

Back then, whenever he tried to sweet-talk me like this, I'd always melt pretty fast.

And honestly, for a second, I did soften up, until Vivian let out another hiss.

Adam's hand snapped back from my face. "Let me see. Where did you hurt yourself this time?"

After dinner, Adam dropped off some stomach meds in my room.

He leaned against the door, looking at me. "Still mad?"

"No," I replied.

"Really?" Adam pressed.

I shook my head.

He bent down and kissed my forehead, a smug little smile tugging at his lips. "That's more like it."

The next second, Vivian's call came in.

Adam answered right away. "Don't let the band-aid get wet. Use a bag when you shower. I'll have Lucas bring you the medicine."

He hung up, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, about that transfer to Riverside City, did you really turn it down?"

I nodded.

It was a chance my boss offered me three months ago.

Back then, Adam glanced at the job description and ruffled my hair. "We're getting married soon. Why bother with all that? There'll be plenty more opportunities."

Now he was still smiling. "Good call. I wouldn't feel comfortable with you living out there all by yourself."

I used to think he was being thoughtful.

But that night, for the first time, I realized, sometimes, someone deciding your future for you can look gentle on the outside, but feel suffocating underneath.

After he left, I stared at the stomach medicine in my palm.

He did know how to take care of people, after all. And for another woman, he never needed a reminder.