JENNIE

Rosé's advice to stop stressing over event minutiae and enjoy the Meet and Greet turned out to be spot-on. The past hour, I'd been all around the event, checking in with the necessary people and mingling with guests. The party, now in full swing, was a success.

I squeezed my way through the dancefloor where Rosé moved against Graham Broderick with closed eyes and a blissful smile. The Gryphon Hotel's rooftop venue had opened all its sliding doors. The tallest buildings of Chicago's cityscape backdropped the patio's fire pits, a lush, vertical garden of plants that made up one wall, and all-black chairs with overstuffed cushions.

My boss gestured at me from where he stood at a two-top table. Edison light bulbs glowed above him, strung from a lattice covering. "I must say, I'm pleased with what you've done here," Mr. Beman said as I approached. "Not too over the top and an impressive guest list. How'd you manage to get Graham Broderick? There are actually paparazzi out front."

"Oh, I called in a favor with a friend," I said, waving my hand with the slight exaggeration.

He smiled tightly as his gaze jumped over my shoulder. "Here comes one of your guests now."

Lisa.

My chest tightened. Her non-presence had been almost palpable to me, but if I was honest, I'd known she'd show up. She wasn't the type to let things lie.

And by the way my heart skipped, I was grateful for that. I turned slowly as footsteps approached, but instead of Lisa's warm brown eyes, I met sparkling blue ones and a tan face belonging to one distinguished beach bum. Mingyu Ayers, the surfer and photographer Lisa had recommended I add to the feature, shook out his bleached, shoulder-length hair. "Evening, Jennie."

Mr. Beman started to stick out his hand, but when he noticed that Mingyu carried two wineglasses, Beman tightened his already taut tie instead. "Thank you for agreeing to do the feature, Mr. Ayers," he said. "I've so enjoyed perusing your photography."

"Call me Mingyu." Mingyu turned to me. "And when can I add you to my collection, Jennie?"

Almost every wall of Mingyu's studio apartment had been covered with gritty, intrusive portraits of people from all walks of life. Like Lisa, Mingyu had a way of looking past people's facades and capturing deeper emotion.

Which sounded awful.

"How about on the tenth of . . . never," I said and smiled as he laughed.

"If you'll excuse me," my boss said and hesitated before nodding at me. "Very nice turnout, Jennie. Keep up the good work."

I exhaled a breath of pure relief. With Lisa's help securing the venue at a steep discount, and with strong sponsors and an A-List guest list . . . it was fair to say I'd pulled it off. And that I was squarely in the running to nab this promotion.

Mingyu held out one of the glasses of white wine. "Cheers."

"For me?" I asked.

He nodded. "Chardonnay. I remember that was what I served you during our interview."

I almost laughed but a pang in my heart stopped me. Lisa would scold me with a look for accepting what others expected of me. Despite tonight's wins, her absence lingered, a dark cloud overhead. As the clock ticked down, it became more apparent that the only person who'd ever thought to question my chardonnay had truly walked away.

Maybe the alcohol would numb the disappointment—and the pain of the last twenty-four hours.

Davena. I blocked the name from my mind and accepted the glass. It wasn't like me to drink on the job, but tonight, relaxing my control even a little felt like a reward for a tough week.

I forced a wide smile, clinked my glass with his, and took a large sip. "I can see why everyone says you're so charming, Mingyu Ayers," I said. "You always come with alcohol."

"It's nice to see you again." With a grin as he glanced behind me, he leaned in to kiss my cheek. "What is that perfume? It reminds me of Paris!"

I giggled. "I'm not wearing anything."

As I drew away, a voice behind me rumbled in greeting. "Ayers."

My heart leaped into my throat as Lisa's unmistakable presence stopped next to me.

"Lisa. Didn't see you there." Mingyu winked at me. The two shook hands with vigor. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd show your ugly mug."

"Careful." Lisa's steady tone hinted at teasing as she started to take a sip of something dark. "You wouldn't even be allowed in the venue if I hadn't pulled strings to get you in this magazine feature."

Mingyu's chiding response fell on deaf ears as I glanced up and met Lisa's unreadable gaze, locked on me. She'd shown up, but she didn't look happy about it. What was she thinking? Her expression remained smoother than her bristly jawline, her dark hair disheveled. I rolled my lips together to keep from gaping.

"How's your date going?" I asked, looking past her for a woman.

Lisa looked into her drink. "Over before it began, I'm afraid."

I concealed a burst of giddiness by drinking more chardonnay. Perhaps it was thanks to the alcohol, but I dismissed any shame over my unwarranted and uncharacteristic jealousy.

"Only a fool would bring a date to a party filled to the brim with beautiful women," Mingyu said, drawing my attention back to him. "In fact, I was just asking Jennie here when she was going to let me take her picture. You'd look perfect hanging in my living room, Jen."

I blushed. "I don't think so."

"Don't get shy on me." Mingyu wrapped me in a side hug, looking down at me. "You have magnificent eyes—they really are unusual. The camera would love them. Aren't they magnificent, Lisa?"

"They are," Lisa said without a hint of emotion. She swirled her dark-honey drink in measured circles. A charcoal V-neck sweater over a slate-gray button down showed off the knot of a matching tie, which she loosened as her eyes burned into me. My body thrummed under her dimming gaze. The way she looked at me, like she couldn't control what might happen next, almost brought me to my knees.

"What do you say to that, Lisa?" Mingyu asked, breaking through our moment.

"Hmm?" With obvious reluctance, Lisa tore her eyes from mine. "To what?"

"I just told you there's a nice-looking redhead over by the railing, twirling her hair, just begging for you to scoop her up. Why don't you run along so Jennie can give me a rundown of available women?"

I followed Mingyu's gaze to the hotel's event coordinator. After Lisa had connected us, Yuna and I had met with her a few times to plan this event. When Lisa looked over, she waved, as if she'd been waiting to catch her attention.

Lisa nodded. "That's Amber. She works here."

"Well, that's convenient." Mingyu smirked. "She can run one floor down when she's on break."

"Fuck off," Lisa said, glancing at Mingyu's arm around me. "And why don't you keep your hands to yourself?"

Mingyu showed us his palms, a twinkle in his eyes as he nodded sideways at Lisa. "I don't know what's up her ass, but she needs a good lay, and she isn't going to get it hanging out with us, is she?" he asked. "She's just Lisa's type, but I like a girl with substance, Jennie. Someone creative and carefree, who's also a little weird."

I bit my cheek to hide my smile at the unsubtle swipe at his friend.

"Let's find me a girl like you—smart and beautiful, but edgy, too," Mingyu said and sipped his wine. When I started to protest, he took my hand and lifted my arm, urging me to twirl. "Oh, come on, I know you're a little wild. Look at you, in your leather dress."

Lisa's grip tightened around her glass. She didn't like the topic. She didn't like Mingyu touching me. But so what? She wasn't even supposed to be here, and if she was going to do nothing but brood, why even show up?

"Actually, I'm borrowing this outfit from my friend," I said. "And just your luck—she's here tonight."

It wasn't hard to spot Rosé, her long, platinum blonde hair like a beacon across the dancefloor. I raised a hand to catch her attention and wave her over. "She's a real catch. Funny and smart, but she came with someone," I said.

"Is she clever?" Mingyu asked.

"Yes, though she might try to fool you," I said, setting my wineglass on the table next to us. "People always underestimate her, and she plays into that."

Rosé waltzed over with what looked like a Shirley Temple, her curious eyes flitting over the three of us and landing on the sexy surfer. "Hey."

"This is my friend Mingyu," I said to her. "He's one of our bachelors."

"I'm aware," she said with a killer smile. "I've already had Jen fill me in on the best attendees."

Mingyu laughed boisterously. "I was just having her do the same for me. But I didn't see you in the feature. Rosé, is it?"

"Rosé Park." Through a tiny straw, she sipped the last of the fizzy red drink I assumed was actually a Dirty Shirley. "And I was in the mag a couple years back."

"Funny, I think I would've remembered." Mingyu offered her his elbow. "Shall we get you a refill?"

She slipped her arm through his and said, "Always," as he led her away.

"Don't forget," I called after them. "I need Mingyu single until the issue comes out."

They ignored me. Lisa, on the other hand, didn't. Even without turning to her, I knew how she was looking at me. Penetrating and lusty with a twist of somber, and I suddenly remembered the seatbelt. How she'd leaned over to unbuckle it, her hand grazing my skin, so close to the hem of the dress she'd bought me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came for my answer."

The directness of her response made me pause. "I already gave you one."

"Storming off after slamming the door in my face in the middle of an argument is not an answer."

"That wasn't an argument," I said. "It was a finale. With fireworks."

"If you felt fireworks, then I assure you, this isn't over."

"It is," I told her. "It has to be."

"Then give me what I came here for." Her eyes drifted down my leather dress and jumped back to mine. "Tell me to back off, Jennie. Say it without pleading me to stay with your eyes, without your body practically vibrating to feel my hands on it."

I sucked in a breath but crossed my arms, even though it wouldn't make a difference. I could close off my body to her, but nobody had ever been able to read the truth in my eyes the way Lisa did. Telling her I didn't want her would be a lie, and she knew that. "Just because I'm married doesn't mean I can't feel attracted to other."

"Yeah?" she asked, jutting her chin at me. "How many other?"

None. I picked up my wine for a sip. "You're reading too much into this."

When she set her lips in a line, the angles of her jawline sharpened. "Why do you think I've pursued you since the moment I saw you?" she asked, glancing at the chardonnay. "Physical appearance has little do with it."

I gaped at the insult. "I never claimed to be your type."

"Don't mistake me. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."

I clenched my teeth, arousal and shock mixing with indignation at what had to be a lie. Lisa had her pick of women anywhere she went—and plenty of practice getting them to spread their legs. "And how many women have you said that to tonight alone?" I asked. "Why don't you go see if Amber is willing to play, because I'm not."

She ignored me. "Your beauty comes from something inside you. I took one look at you at the ballet, and your eyes told me a story. You were alone. You were desperate, as was I. Your vulnerability struck something deep in me."

I couldn't remember the last time, if ever, somebody had described me as vulnerable, let alone accused me of desperate vulnerability. Taehyung had called me cold. Hours earlier, Rosé had driven home her point that I'd closed myself off and suppressed emotions since childhood. But I didn't need either of them to tell me that to know it was true.

So what had Lisa seen that night? I closed my eyes briefly, reliving those moments of looking around a crowd that included my best friends—my husband —and feeling alone. Alien. My guard hadn't been up in that one, single moment Lisa and I had locked eyes.

Chills spread over my bare shoulders. I looked at her now as the truth struggled to the surface. If Lisa fought for me, it could be game over for Taehyung.

Was I ready for that? To say good-bye to the life I'd not only known, but the one I'd wanted, the one I'd constructed?

"If you want something, say it out loud."

Out of nowhere, Davena's words sliced through me. Her death had left a wound I was trying to hold closed until I could grieve alone. But it was also the most glaring sign that life was too short not to selfishly reach for my desires when I had the rare chance to catch one.

Lisa took my chin between her thumb and forefinger and lifted my face, inspecting my cheek. "You covered the bruise, but I can still see it."

"What bruise?" Rosé asked from behind me.

I nearly jumped back as Lisa removed her hand. She glanced from Rosé back to me. "You haven't told her about last night?"

"Told me what?" Rosé fixed her gaze on me. "What happened last . . ." She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth.

Mingyu approached, brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Rosé's eyes widened as she stared at me. "Oh my God," she said, the words muffled by her hand. "It's Lisa? She's the one you—"

I grabbed her arm and yanked her away, wine sloshing around the glass in my other hand. "Give us a minute," I called over my shoulder, pushing Rosé through the crowd until we were in a quiet corner.

Her face, frozen with shock, quickly thawed. "Oh, Jennie. No, no, no. If Lisa Manoban is the one you've fallen for, get up off the ground and run. She's a total womanizer."

I'd accused her of that many times, and it was true. She was a player. But I'd called her that to push her away, not because I couldn't recognize that to her, I was different. What she and I had was different. I bristled. "You don't even know her."

"I don't have to. I know enough guys just like her, Jen. Someone like that can be . . . dangerous. She knows how to make you feel special. Believe me. She's gorgeous, charming, and sexy. There's no way she's not single for a reason."

"Sounds familiar," I accused.

"Well," she said, seemingly unfazed, "I learned from experience. From people like her."

"It doesn't matter," I said. "I'm not going to act on it."

"You mean again?" She said, pursing her lips. "What was she talking about—a bruise? Last night? Did you sleep with her?"

"No. I told you we didn't."

"And?"

"And what?" I asked. "I don't want to get into what happened now—"

"Fine. I'm tired of pulling information out of you." She sighed heavily, backing away. "I thought we made progress earlier, but apparently not. Come find me when you're ready to talk for real. Shit's going to come out one way or another."

I didn't want to think of Davena just then. Or at all. But with Rosé's warnings, Davena's also echoed through the black hole her absence had left.

"You can't hide from your desires. You can suppress them, ignore them, maybe even kill them off. But they'll stay buried and rotting inside you."