Page 90 of The Backup

“With who?” someone asks, laughing.

“My ex,” Joe replies, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I heard she’s single again. Time to remind her what she’s been missing.”

A few guys hoot, and someone claps him on the back. “You think she’s really going to take you back after what you pulled?”

Joe shrugs, taking a swig of his beer. “I’ve got it on good authority she’s not over me. I just need the right moment, and this party? That’s the moment.”

I grip the bannister, my stomach twisting. I don’t need to hear her name to know exactly who he’s talking about.

Sloane.

The thought of Joe even thinking about her—let alone making a move—is enough to make my blood boil. But I can’t let it show. Not here.

I force myself to keep walking, heading up the stairs and shutting the door to my room behind me.

Leaning against the door, I let out a slow breath, trying to push down the frustration building in my chest. The idea of Joe anywhere near Sloane makes me want to hit something, but what right do I have to feel that way? She made her decision.

I glance at my phone, the temptation to text her almost overwhelming. But what would I even say?Hey, just so you know, my asshole backup is planning to use our Halloween party to win you back. Cool, right?

Instead, I toss my phone onto the bed and collapse beside it, staring up at the ceiling.

Let Joe try. He doesn’t know her the way I do. And if he thinks she’s going to fall for his bullshit, he’s even dumber than I thought.

twenty-nine

. . .

Sloane

The restaurant iscozy and bustling, the smell of fresh bread and garlic filling the air as we sit around the table. Grandma insisted on taking us to her favorite Italian spot—“The portions are big, and the wine flows like water!”—and now she’s sipping a glass of Merlot with a contented smile.

“So,” she says, setting her glass down and giving me and Jacklyn a pointed look. “What’s going on with you two these days? I want the juicy stuff, not just the work and school nonsense.”

Jacklyn grins, twirling her pasta. “You’re asking the right girls, Grandma. We’ve got drama for days.”

“Oh?” Grandma leans in, her silver earrings catching the light. “Do tell.”

Jacklyn wastes no time launching into her story about Brian, recounting their ups and downs with her usual dramatic flair. Grandma listens intently, nodding along and occasionally interjecting with “That boy needs to grow up” or “Have you told him that?”

When Jacklyn finishes, Grandma turns her sharp eyes on me. “And what about you, Sloane? You’ve been suspiciously quiet.”

I shrug, poking at my ravioli. “There’s not much to tell. Took the MCAT, trying not to stress about it.”

Grandma arches an eyebrow. “And the boy you’ve been sneaking around with?”

My fork clatters onto my plate. “What? How?—”

“Oh, please.” She waves a hand, grinning. “You think I don’t notice these things? You’ve had that ‘boy trouble’ look since I walked in the door.”

Jacklyn bursts out laughing, and I groan, covering my face. “It’s complicated.”

“It always is,” Grandma says matter-of-factly. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk about it.”

I glance at Jacklyn, who’s nodding enthusiastically, clearly on Team Grandma. With a sigh, I relent. “There was a guy. We were…seeing each other. But it wasn’t serious. At least, it wasn’t supposed to be.”

“And?”

“And I ended it because I didn’t think we wanted the same things,” I admit, feeling the weight of the words as I say them out loud.

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