She’d just completed a jog on the beach, so she told him to come on over, hopped in the shower, and then put some salmon in to bake. She scrounged around in the fridge and found the bottle of white she’d hidden from her roommate, Alicia, under a bag of salad greens. Alicia didn’t eat healthy, so if Olivia needed to hide something, the green and leafy veggies provided camouflage.

By the time Conrad arrived, she had a tossed salad, medium-rare salmon, and glasses chilling in the fridge.

Conrad wore jeans, a button-down, and hiking boots. His hair was shaggy around his lean face, and he sported a goatee that somehow suited him. Mirrored sunglasses perched on his head. The man didn’t look as devastated as he’d sounded on the phone.

She’d elected to wear linen shorts, a cute floaty top she’d found at Anthropologie, and leather flip-flops. She’d told herself it wasn’t a big deal, but she’d french braided her hair and dabbed on some makeup anyway. Oh, and some perfume her mother had bought her for Christmas.

Conrad had swooped in and wrapped her in a big hug, lifting her off her feet. “It’s so good to see you, Livy girl.”

When he set her down, she swept a hand toward the inside of her condo. “Come on in. Alicia and her boyfriend went to Cabo for the weekend, so we won’t be disturbed. I fixed some dinner if you’re hungry.”

He stepped inside, taking in the Pottery Barn knockoff canvas couch, Indonesian-inspired print throw, and Moroccan rug, all courtesy of Pier 1. “Nice place. And I’m starving.”

They’d sat on the couch, eating dinner, sipping wine, and catching up. Conrad had been working as a production assistant, Olivia working on her master’s in social work. Both were on track with their careers, lived frugally, and loved being in Southern California.

And both were miserable about Marley.

“I told her we were done over two months ago. I just couldn’t be with her anymore, Livy. She would be fine for weeks, and then I wouldn’t hear from her for days. When I finally did, she was messed up.” The anguish in his voice made her gut clench.

“I know. She refuses to go to Sunday dinners with our family, and when Dad got that big civic award, she no-showed. She hasn’t looked healthy in a long time, but I talked to her a few days ago, and she actually sounded better. She said she was going to try rehab. That’s the first time she’s broached it on her own. That’s a good sign.”