Chapter 4
This Year
C HLOE REACH ES INTO THE break room fridge, pulling out the salad she packed this morning. She debates throwing it in the trash and walking down the street for a slice of pizza, but she sighs and does the grown-up, responsible thing and picks up a fork instead.
“Check your email,” a familiar voice commands.
Chloe turns around and smiles at Wyatt. “Stop stalking me,” she says.
In the month since her birthday, Wyatt has met her almost every day. Sometimes they’ll grab a drink or he’ll walk with her for a bit and head back to his apartment. Chloe often wonders how much Sloane must be guilting him into these daily check-ins. And what Wyatt is telling the rest of their friends, Luke especially.
Chloe sits at the break room table, an interior room at the back of the gallery, behind several doors clearly labeled Employees Only .
“How did you get back here?” Chloe asks as she takes a bite of her salad.
Wyatt joins her at the table. “I have credentials. I can get in all kinds of places.”
“Your press badge doesn’t work at the Wick.” Chloe takes another bite.
“Your boss likes me,” Wyatt says, smiling too widely.
“She wants to sleep with you.”
Wyatt moves his head from side to side, as if considering this possibility.
“Wyatt, Sylvia is at least thirty years older than you,” Chloe whispers.
Wyatt smirks. “She’s aged well.”
“If you value our friendship, please do not detonate the professional bomb of sleeping with my boss. Sylvia will describe your penis in detail. She may even paint it.”
Wyatt laughs. “I’m not going to sleep with Sylvia. Although I do find her interesting.”
“The world finds Sylvia interesting. Why are you here again?”
Wyatt reaches across the table and pulls the fork from Chloe’s hand. “Because you need to check your email.”
“Why?”
“Hurricane Sloane has landed.”
Chloe pulls out her phone as Wyatt runs a hand through his dark hair. Chloe’s stomach sinks as soon as she sees the subject line, “Spring Break.”
“She’s out of her mind,” Chloe says. “There’s no way the trip is happening this year.”
“Why?” Wyatt asks flatly.
“Because Luke won’t speak to me. Luke won’t be in the same room as me. Which makes sharing a house for a week kind of impossible.”
“I think not speaking is mutual,” Wyatt says. “At some point, you two are going to have to work that out. Or do you think it’s better that we all stop being friends?”
“No,” Chloe says immediately. “That’s not a question. We are going to work this out. But spring break is not the solution.”
Wyatt leans back in the hard plastic chair, a creak escaping from his long body. “We’ve waited a year for you guys to figure it out on your own. I’m not always a fan of Sloane’s plans, but I have to admit she’s right this time.”
Chloe studies Sloane’s email. She’s planned every detail of the trip, leaving no room for Chloe to manufacture an excuse. There’s even an airplane ticket in her name.
Sloane and Alden moved to the beach last year after the sale of Alden’s company. A week in Florida, soaking in the warm sun, does sound appealing, but Chloe knows that no amount of ocean air can ease the tension with Luke.
“I can’t go,” Chloe says.
“I didn’t want to do this. But I’m going to.” Wyatt reaches for his phone and dials a number. He puts it on speaker and within moments, Sloane’s cheerful voice is filling up the Wick Collection break room.
“Did she say no?” Sloane asks.
“Of course I said no,” Chloe replies. “I’ll come visit. I promise. Maybe in June. You guys have a good time together.”
Sloane exhales so loudly Chloe can’t help but lean away from the phone. “You broke us, Chloe.”
Even though Wyatt is shaking his head, indicating that he does not think Chloe did any breaking, Chloe knows that Sloane is saying what everyone thinks.
Sloane continues, “Get on that plane. You need to fix this.”
“Having me there isn’t going to fix it. If anything, I’ll make it worse.”
“No. False,” Sloane declares. “We need everyone together. That’s the way our friendship works.”
“She’s right,” Wyatt adds. “Alden’s Internet freedom lectures are only bearable with Luke dancing in the background.”
Chloe can’t help the smile that creeps across her face as she remembers long nights filled with laughter. They were right. Luke’s charm was a necessary balance to Alden’s logical nature and Wyatt’s intensity. Just as Chloe’s spontaneity balanced Sloane’s planning. Marianne provided a safe place for them all to land. They were the best versions of themselves when they were all together.
At least that’s the way it used to be. Chloe’s smile disappears as she focuses on the present. “There’s no way Marianne is going,” Chloe tries to argue. “She has a baby at home.”
“Marianne is thrilled to go,” Sloane says decisively. “Noah is staying behind with the baby.”
Chloe’s face is full of surprise. “She’s okay leaving Teddy?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?” Sloane quickly replies. “Mothers go on vacation all the time. You don’t give up your life and your friends just because you have a baby. There is so much more to life than children. Surely you know that.”
Chloe and Wyatt exchange glances, both surprised by Sloane’s uncharacteristic defensiveness.
Chloe says, “I just thought maybe she’d have some reservations about leaving Teddy for the first time.”
“I’m sure she does,” Sloane says, softening. “You should talk to her about that.”
Chloe looks away, echoes of her discussions with Wyatt and the guilt Chloe still can’t erase seeping in.
Sloane takes a deep breath before continuing. “I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to get out of the trip and use Marianne to create some domino situation like last year. It’s not going to happen.”
Chloe’s voice is small as she asks, “Will Luke be there?”
“Of course he’ll be there. Besides, Alden is his biggest client these days. It would be irresponsible of him to turn down a client’s invitation.”
Chloe shakes her head as she stares at the table and her half-eaten salad. “That’s what we are now? Clients and financial advisors? Strangers?”
“No. We are best friends. We have been best friends for a decade, and I’m not going to let anything break that up.”
“Luke doesn’t want me there,” Chloe shouts at the phone.
“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him. Get over yourself and get on the plane,” Sloane shouts back.
“I can’t, Sloane. I’m not ready.”
“I’m sure you aren’t,” Sloane says softly. “It’s been a year. Marianne had a baby. Alden and I …” Sloane trails off. “Alden and I miss you. We miss us. I will see you Friday night.”
“I love you, Sloane. I’d do anything for you. But I can’t spend a week with Luke.”
“Why?” When Chloe doesn’t speak, Sloane fills the silence with her assumptions. “Because you still love him and you’re afraid of what’s going to happen. Tell him you’re sorry. Explain. Your. Feelings. This can be fixed. You can get him back. He’s your soulmate.”
“It’s not that simple,” Chloe whispers. “I’m not coming,” she says with complete resolve.
“Take me off speaker,” Sloane orders.
Chloe reaches for the phone and holds it up to her ear. Sloane’s voice is firm and clear as she reiterates all the points she’s already made. Then Chloe hears Sloane’s voice break in a way she’s never heard in their decade of friendship.
Chloe’s heart sinks as Sloane tells her why she needs this trip. Her face moves through a dozen emotions as she processes Sloane’s confession, ultimately settling on guilt. It turns out the last year has felt lonely for them all. Chloe can see Wyatt watching their conversation.
“Okay. I’ll be there,” Chloe says, and hangs up.
She hands Wyatt his phone, his face full of confusion. “What master manipulation did Sloane inflict to achieve this miracle?”
“That’s between us,” Chloe says as she walks over to the trash can to throw away her lunch. She walks back to the main gallery and Wyatt follows.
“We never used to have secrets,” Wyatt says to the polished wooden floor.
“We’ve always had secrets, Wyatt. We just haven’t let them tear us apart.”
Wyatt nods. “So you’re really going? A week in Florida with Sloane and Alden and Marianne and Luke.”
Chloe notices how Wyatt hesitates on the last word, as if saying her ex-boyfriend’s name is forbidden language. She elbows him in the side. “And you.”
Wyatt smiles. “Let’s go shopping.”
Chloe glances at her watch. “I have about thirty minutes, but I don’t think there’s any amount of retail therapy that is going to prepare me for this trip.”
“You’ll be fine. You have us,” Wyatt says.
Chloe isn’t sure. Nothing about seeing Luke again feels fine.
Chloe and Wyatt walk outside into the brisk air of early spring. Chloe knows that she’ll experience three seasons of weather over the next few weeks, the tease of warmth never lasting long.
“Where do you want to shop?” Chloe asks. “There are a couple of stores on Wisconsin Avenue that have swimsuits already.”
“Nah,” Wyatt points across the street. “Much more important shopping.”
Chloe laughs as they walk toward the liquor store. “Are we really doing another spring break in Florida?”
“The last one was pretty fun,” Wyatt says. And Chloe remembers, it really was.