I nodded.

“Are you going to back out?”

Giving him a look, I said, “I’ve willingly agreed. You think I’d break my promises?”

Henry’s nostrils flared, an unnamed emotion going through his face. “No.”

“Then it’s done. Or areyougoing to back out?”

Henry leaned into me even further, until he was close enough for me to feel his breath on my face. “Never.”

My pulse stuttered. “Good.”

After a silent beat of us just staring at each other, Henry leaned back, allowing me more air to breathe but also leaving me feeling somehow bereft. “You’ll regret saying yes.”

I shrugged. “We’ll see.”

Henry bristled at my nonchalance. “You’re already makingmeregret it.”

My lips ticked up in a secret smile. “Too late.”

Chapter 2

Antony

Six months later

Things hadn’t gone the way I thought they would go. Not at all. Because although Henry had tugged me by my wrist once we were in the building, careful we didn’t get lost in the crowd, and saved the day from what was a lot more than stolen-pack-of-gum trouble, he hadn’t talked to me since.

He had saved Travis like a righteous King. He had turned around and leaned into my ear, whispering, “You’re mine for three months. Don’t you forget.”

And then I didn’t hear a peep from him since.

During the next six months, thinking about Henry became something akin to sticking a knife to my own gut. It hurt. It fuckingstung, because he’d told me not to forget about our little deal, and what had he done? He’d gone and forgotten about me. Ignored my very existence, more so than he’d already done before, and left our unfinished business hanging in the ether.

It was stupid. I’d been supposed to be getting over the pain of our past friendship, and Henry had come in with a lone ray of hope, just to stomp on me again.

I should have known.

This wasn’t supposed to hurt this bad. For this long. So what, we used to be neighbors and I’d trusted him with my most vulnerable thoughts once. Who cared? People stopped being friends all the time. They outgrew each other, moved on to greener pastures. People changed.

So why couldn’t I just get over it?

I had to move on.

I had things to do. It had been six months since that spring day, I was already starting my third year of college and I hadpriorities. Like getting the career I wanted. Like finding an internship that would set me up for success, start my future life on my best foot. Make my parents proud.

There was also the whole ‘surviving college’ deal. I wanted to stay on top of my classes while managing to find some quality time to spend with my best friends and family. Even if I didn’t have alife, I could manage to do the bare minimum and not be miserable.

I was busy. There was no space for Henry Campbell in my day-to-day existence.

But clearly, the universe had different plans for me.

Or at least, that was what I told myself as I sat in front of none other thanHenry’s father, during a weeknight, in a steak house.

A steak house.

I didn’t think that Connell Campbell had suddenly developed a liking for steak, which only left one reason why he had invited me here, and I didn’t think I was ready to face it.