Chapter 1

Ten minutes before I'm supposed to marry my fiancé at the Marriage Bureau, I find out he canceled our appointment as a prank.

There are only two couples ahead of us when Megan suddenly holds up her phone.

"Claire, look." A confirmation page fills the screen.

Appointment canceled successfully.

For a second, I just stare at it.

Then the people around us burst out laughing.

"Claire, you really didn't notice?"

"You've been talking about getting married for weeks."

"You even dressed up for this."

Someone whistles.

"Guess you really couldn't wait to become Mrs. Parker."

I turn to Ethan. He's leaning against the wall with one hand in his pocket, looking completely relaxed.

"You knew about this?"

"Of course."

I stare at him.

"Why?"

"You've been way too focused on the wedding lately."

He shrugs.

"I figured you needed to loosen up."

Megan waves her phone.

"We started betting yesterday on how long it would take you to realize the appointment was gone."

Tyler laughs so hard he nearly drops his phone.

"And she actually came dressed like this."

I look down at myself.

The dress I spent an hour choosing this morning suddenly feels ridiculous.

"Miss Bennett?"

I turn.

"We're closing soon. If you still want to get married today, you need to check in again right away. There are only a few walk-in slots left."

Megan laughs even louder.

"Even the clerk knows you're desperate to get married."

Tyler nudges Ethan.

"You'd better watch out. She might drag you back to the counter."

Ethan holds out his hand to me.

"Come on. We'll do it another day."

I look at his hand.

Then I look at him.

For three years, I've loved this man.

And for three years, his friends have treated that love like entertainment.

Last month, they hid my birthday gift in a storage room and made me search for it for hours.

On our anniversary, Ethan turned what was supposed to be dinner with me into a night out with his friends. I sat alone at home until after midnight.

During the holidays, they gave me the wrong flight information and let me wait at the airport for hours.

Every time, Ethan told me the same thing.

It was just a joke.

Then he would hold me, kiss my forehead, and tell me not to take it so seriously.

I always forgave him.

Maybe that's why they never stopped.

I step away from his hand.

"Who canceled the appointment?"

Megan's smile fades slightly.

Ethan answers without hesitation.

"I told her to."

"You told her to?"

"Yes."

"You knew I'd been confirming everything all week."

"That's exactly the problem."

His expression turns impatient.

"You've been checking the appointment, the flowers, the lunch, every little detail. It's exhausting."

I stare at him.

"So you canceled our marriage appointment to teach me a lesson?"

He gives me a look like I'm making this more dramatic than it is.

"I wanted you to understand that getting married doesn't mean your whole life should revolve around me."

I almost laugh.

"Don't worry."

His brows pull together.

"It won't anymore."

For the first time, his smile fades.

His friends immediately jump in.

"Oh, come on, Claire."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"Ethan still wants to marry you."

"He's just trying to fix how clingy you are."

I look at them.

"You all knew?"

No one answers.

That's answer enough.

Megan finally reaches for my sleeve.

"Claire, I'm sorry."

I pull away.

"I thought we'd just check in again after ten minutes."

"You thought humiliating me in front of everyone would be funny."

"I didn't mean—"

"I heard your apology."

I look at her. "I don't accept it."

Then I turn toward the check-in machine.

I take the last available slot.

The confirmation prints, ten minutes.

I sit down far away from them and pull out my phone.

There's one number I haven't called in three years.

Julian Whitmore.

Three years ago, before Ethan, our families wanted Julian and me to consider marriage.

We met several times, our parents approved.

Julian was calm, respectful, and serious about it.

Then I met Ethan, I chose him instead.

Julian never argued, he simply stepped aside.

I haven't contacted him since.

I press call. He answers quickly.

"Claire?"

I look at the clock.

"Julian, I need you to come to the Marriage Bureau."

A pause.

"How soon?"

"Ten minutes."

Another pause.

Then I say it clearly.

"Get here in ten minutes, and I'll marry you."