Chapter 3: Goodbyes in the Rearview

“Are you mad?” Caleb asked as we walked.

I didn’t answer.

“She’ll only need me for two weeks while she recovers. I was going to tell you after it was over—didn’t want you to freak out.”

“Seriously, Caleb? What surgery keeps someone down for two weeks?” I kept my voice flat, refusing to give anything away.

“An abortion. It’s not mine, if that’s what you’re thinking. The guy’s married.”

“I know it’s not yours. It’s a married guy.”

As soon as I said it, he grabbed my wrist, hard. I winced in pain. My eyes stung, but I refused to look away. I wanted him to see I wasn’t scared.

“You dug into her past?”

“No need. Didn’t the website you hacked spell it all out?”

He glared at me, silent for a long time. I’d never seen him look at me like that before.

“You stalked me and I didn’t say anything, but now you’ve really crossed a line.”

Stalked him? Since he vanished, I hadn’t even looked for him. Like I had time for that.

His grip loosened. The streetlight flickered overhead, making him look older, tired.

When I still didn’t respond, he let go and sighed.

“There’s nothing between me and her. You don’t need to go after her. I’m letting this go, but you should too.”

He called an Uber and opened the door.

I slid into the backseat without a word. As the car pulled away, I rolled down the window and called out, “Let’s call it, Caleb. We’re done.”

I watched his face in the rearview, waiting for regret. But the only thing I saw was the city lights blurring behind us.