Chapter 2

The landlord and the new tenant exchanged awkward glances, made some polite small talk, and quickly left.

I sat on the couch, staring at their latest social media updates.

After landing, Ethan and Harper headed straight to that wild mushroom restaurant from the video, beaming at the camera. The vacation rental they booked was the exact one I had shared in our group chat a few days ago.

So they did see my messages. They just chose to ignore me.

I wiped away the stray tear at the corner of my eye and muted both of their profiles.

I stood up and started packing my boxes.

Four days later, Ethan called.

"Chloe, are you off work?"

"Harper and I just got back. We brought you some souvenirs. Let's go check out the new house together. Didn't you say you had something important to tell me?"

I looked out the window. It was pouring rain.

"Sure. But it's hard to get an Uber in this weather. Pick me up on your way."

Silence on the line.

After a long pause, Harper's timid voice came through the speaker.

"Chloe, could you just grab a cab to the house yourself?"

"Ethan is at my place cooking dinner for me. If he drives over to pick you up, it’ll be a huge detour and traffic is awful."

My tone turned freezing cold.

"Didn't he just say you two barely landed?"

"Forget it. Rain check."

With that, I hung up.

Ethan’s text arrived seconds later: "Don't snap at Harper over nothing. I'm on my way to get you now."

I scoffed.

"Don't bother. I didn't even know you could cook."

"Some other time. I'm staying in tonight."

Ethan didn't reply.

Two hours later, someone pounded frantically on my doorbell.

Ethan was outside, calling my name.

I pulled the door open, scowling.

"Didn't you read my text? I told you, I'm not going anywhere tonight."

Ethan didn't listen. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out.

"Stop throwing a tantrum. Harper had a stomachache on the flight, so I just made her some soup."

"I told her to stay home and rest, but she saw how mad you were and insisted on coming along. Just talk to her, okay? Otherwise, she won't be able to rest easy."

I didn't say a word. I yanked my arm back and rubbed my bruised wrist.

Grabbing my purse, I followed Ethan downstairs.

I didn't even glance at the passenger seat. I just routinely climbed into the back.

I already knew Harper would be sitting up front.

Sure enough, seeing that I didn't make a fuss, Harper turned around from the passenger seat with an apologetic smile.

"Chloe, I'm so sorry."

"I really feel awful right now, so I didn't want to move. Sorry to make you sit in the back."

"Whatever," I mumbled.

Ethan glared at me through the rearview mirror, annoyed by my coldness.

As he drove, he tried to clear the air.

"Chloe, Harper was terrified we'd fight over the trip. She dragged herself out even while feeling sick just to explain things to you."

"Aren't you going to say something?"

I leaned my head against the window and replied flatly.

"Nothing to say."

Ethan choked on his words.

He let out an awkward chuckle, then turned to chat with Harper about other things.

Inevitably, the conversation drifted right back to Colorado.

"Ethan, remember when we fed the pigeons by that lake in the Rockies?"

"How could I forget! They swarmed me, and I almost fell into the water. And that tie-dye workshop—you got dye all over my face."

"You're one to talk! You completely ruined my dress! I can't even wear it anymore!"

...

Their back-and-forth chatter stabbed into my ears like needles.

When Ethan finally paused, it was like he suddenly remembered his girlfriend was sitting in the back seat.

"Chloe, next time the three of us should go backpacking in the Himalayas."

"You said work has been burning you out and you need a reset, right? When we go..."

I couldn't stand listening to another word. I cut him off.

"We're here. Pull over."