Chapter 21 314 days before the breakup
“A group trip was such a good idea! And the weather is ideal for October. It honestly feels like it’s still summer,” Grace said as we rolled our suitcases through the front door.
“Charleston is dope,” Tucker said. “And so is this house.”
Cole laughed. “Took the words right out of my mouth.”
I forgot how it came to fruition, but someone suggested we take a trip to Charleston.
Surprisingly, the boys planned everything, and all Grace, Savannah, Demi, and I had to do was show up.
I was equally impressed and skeptical, but seeing this gorgeous row house they booked downtown made all my worries disappear.
Trips like this used to feel easy; back when the three of us lived under the same roof, friendship was built into our everyday life.
Now, with new leases and busy schedules and a new normal, I could feel us all working a little harder trying to stitch things back together.
I wanted to believe a weekend away could fix it or at least remind us why it was worth the effort.
“So what should our plan be for tonight?” I asked.
Tucker cleared his throat before making the announcement. “Everyone needs to be ready to leave by five thirty. Surprise number one is at six.”
“Surprise number one?” Grace, like the rest of us, was confused. “I thought y’all were just in charge of getting us here.”
Savannah chimed in. “Yeah, I don’t know if we trust your planning skills.”
“Hey, hey. Will you just trust us? We managed to snag this place, didn’t we?” Tucker replied.
“You have to admit this house is sick,” Cole said.
I stand up, motioning for Grace and Sav to do the same. “All right, you heard the party planners. Let’s get ready.”
“Meet back in the kitchen whenever you’re all set. We’ll pregame a little before we leave. Ainsley, do you have any idea of Lucas and Margo’s ETA?” Demi asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll call him.” I pulled out my phone and dialed Lucas. It rang a few times before he picked up.
“Hey, we’re almost there. Just crossing the bridge now,” he said.
“Good timing. We’re getting ready and then going to pregame, so hurry up,” I told him, feeling a little more relaxed now that they’d almost made it.
“Will do. See you in a few,” Lucas replied before hanging up.
I turned to the group. “They’re basically here.”
Grace, Savannah, and I headed upstairs to our rooms to change.
We rummaged through our outfits and then met in the master bedroom, where Savannah and Demi were sleeping, to do our makeup together just like we used to in college.
For the first time in months, it felt like the years of being roommates had never ended, like we were back in our cramped duplex or our off-campus apartment before that, sharing mirrors and fighting over going-out tops.
By the time we made it back downstairs, the guys were already mixing drinks, and I couldn’t help but think that maybe we were finding our way back to solid ground. Maybe the cracks in our trio weren’t permanent after all.
“Aperol spritzes coming right up!” Tucker announced with a grin as he handed Grace a glass.
“Fancy,” Grace said, taking a sip.
Savannah and I laughed as we joined the group, accepting our drinks. We were just about to grill the guys about telling us the plan early when Lucas and Margo burst through the door.
“Sorry, we’re late!” Margo said, flashing a smile as she dropped her bag.
“But we made it!” Lucas added.
“No worries, we’re just getting started,” Tucker replied, handing them both a drink.
Lucas quickly pulled me into a hug. “Hey, Ains,” he said before turning to the group. “We’ll be quick. See you back down here in a few.”
As everyone waited around in the kitchen, sipping their drinks and catching up, I leaned against the counter, taking it all in.
Lately, I hadn’t been around as much. Cole still went to things here and there, but on top of my day job, I’d been buried in prep for the book launch.
Being here with them made me realize that I missed this.
Even more though, it made me realize how much I missed them.
The energy was high, and I could tell everyone was excited to get out of Raleigh for the weekend.
By five thirty sharp, we were all outside and piling into a party bus idling in front of the house.
The drive was short, and we pulled up to a small marina, where a captain greeted us with a friendly wave.
“Evening, folks!” the captain said as he helped us one by one onto the boat. “Welcome aboard.”
Tucker stepped forward with a big smile. “Surprise! We’re doing a sunset cruise.”
Grace was busy taking pictures and videos when Savannah leaned in close to me, lowering her voice.
“Okay, is it just me, or does it feel like Tucker’s about to propose?”
My head snapped toward her. “What?”
She nodded subtly toward the boat. “I mean, the surprise cruise? The Aperol spritzes? The fact that he’s been sweating bullets all afternoon? It’s giving…big moment.”
I blinked. “No way. He would’ve told us. Right?”
Savannah arched an eyebrow. “Would he? Or would he be too nervous that we’d spill the news?”
I suddenly felt underdressed and overexposed in my mini skirt. “Shit.”
“Ains, you coming?” Cole called out from the dock.
Savannah straightened. “Come on. I’m sure it’s nothing. But maybe let’s act normal and not question things, just in case.”
I nodded, but my stomach was already flipping.
This weekend was supposed to be about us—about feeling like a group again, about holding on to something before it slipped too far away.
If Tucker turned it into an engagement, it wouldn’t just be Grace’s big moment.
It would be another reminder that I was the only one still on the outside, watching everything change without me.
As the boat drifted lazily along the water, the hues of the sunset bathed everything in a golden glow. Cole draped his arm around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder.
“Should we have some champagne?” Cole asked the group.
It was a unanimous yes. He made his way to the back of the boat where the cooler was, and I shot Savannah a look. It was definitely happening, and Cole had clearly been brought in on the secret. Why hadn’t he told me?
As Drew and Cole poured bubbly into plastic cups, Tucker stood up slowly, clearing his throat and glancing around at all of us like he was trying not to puke. “Grace, can you come up here for a second?”
Grace blinked. “What? Why?”
“Just trust me,” he said, reaching for her hand.
She hesitated, clearly confused, but let him guide her toward the front of the boat. The sun started to dip low, golden hour casting over us. Tucker took a deep breath, then dropped to one knee.
My heart stopped. Savannah clutched my arm.
“Okay, uh,” Tucker started, his voice shaking slightly. “Most of you know I was not exactly the most mature guy in college.”
Laughter broke out around us, but he didn’t look away from Grace.
“I was the big goofball in the fraternity. The guy who wore tank tops to class and dropped every eight a.m. I had because I couldn’t get out of bed in time.
“But then I saw this girl,” Tucker said, his voice softening.
“At our spring fling party sophomore year. She was wearing this cream sweater with little embroidered flowers and sipping out of a red Solo cup like it was a wine glass. She looked so calm, so sure of herself, and totally out of place in the best way. I just remember thinking, no way. That girl is way too good for me.”
Everyone laughed gently, and Grace was shaking her head, eyes starting to fill.
“A few months later, we were randomly paired to be fifth-and-cuff dates. That night, when we were literally cuffed together and trying to finish a fifth of Fireball, I remember thinking if I had to be tied to someone for the rest of my life, I’d want it to be her.”
He pulled out the ring, eyes still locked on hers.
“Grace Elizabeth, will you marry me?”
“Yes! Of course!” she choked out through happy tears.
Cheers erupted around us, the sound carrying over the water as Tucker slipped the ring onto Grace’s finger.
The mood on the boat shifted to something lighter, brighter, almost electric.
Grace was glowing, Tucker looked stunned in the best way, and Savannah was crying happy tears, already reaching for the champagne like it was her job.
Someone turned the music up. Drew nearly spilled his drink as he clinked glasses with Lucas.
I smiled, letting Cole pull me into him as we drifted along the river.
The champagne in my hand had gone warm, but I kept sipping it anyway.
I tried to absorb the joy around me and not overanalyze the proposal to death, what it meant and how things would change.
I rested my head on Cole’s shoulder. His linen shirt was soft and smelled like sunscreen and salt air—familiar and grounding.
Everyone looked so happy. Like they were exactly where they were meant to be.
I wanted to feel that too. I wanted to lean into Cole now and feel swept up in the knowledge that that would be us soon.
But somewhere between the sips and the swaying, I could feel my thoughts drifting again.
To me and Cole. To everything we weren’t saying.
To everything we weren’t doing. And honestly?
I was getting kind of tired of thinking about it.
It wasn’t like anything big had happened.
We weren’t fighting. He still kissed me on the forehead.
Still texted me good luck before meetings with my publisher.
Still held my hand like he never wanted to let go.
But somehow, lately, it felt like it was perfunctory instead of passionate.
Like we were in orbit instead of in sync.
Still moving but maybe not toward each other.