I was ready to leave at that point, but some stubborn part of me refused to show that I was shaken up. I went back to filling the vegetable trays as if nothing had happened, even though my hands were shaking. I took my time, making sure that everything was placed just so, before putting the extra food back in the fridge.

Then I walked slowly toward the living room, planning on getting my coat and making a quiet exit.

“I think everything’s going good, don’t you?” Hailey said, practically bouncing toward me, completely oblivious to what had happened in the kitchen.

“It looks like a success to me,” I replied, my eyes straying from her to Alex. He was talking to a group of people, and they were all laughing at whatever he’d said. I was glad that he seemed to have shaken off his anger, but it also left me feeling strangely alone.

“I see you and Alex seem to be getting along,” Hailey said, following my gaze. “He’s so nice. He helped me and Sean move.”

“Oh yeah?” I couldn’t help but be distracted as Alex elbowed the big guy and then slapped him on the back. I wondered what they were saying.

“Yep, he met us at Sean’s old apartment and helped carry some of the heavier stuff that I couldn’t help with.”

“Where’d you put your stuff?” I asked distractedly. “I haven’t seen any of it here.”

“I didn’t bring any of my furniture with me,” she said easily. “I just gave it to my roommates.”

“You what?” I asked, finally paying attention to our conversation. “Why would you do that?”

She laughed. “You’ve seen this place! It’s not like we could fit all of it in here.”

“Hailey, that’s—” I started to tell her what a bad idea it was for her to give away all her stuff, when Sean came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He was far past drunk and sliding into sloppy.

“Babe,” he slurred. “Kegs’r almost gone.”

“That’s good, right?” she replied, looking up at him with a smile. I realized then that she must have had quite a bit of alcohol, too, because she hadn’t even noticed the annoyance in his voice.

“No,” he said slowly, as if she were an idiot. “People won’t have anything to drink.”

“We have soda,” she said, laughing a little as she rolled her eyes at me. “And water.”

Her face changed and her shoulders rolled in a little as Sean tightened his arm around her.

“We’re not giving them soda,” he said, his voice dropping. “Are you fucking kidding?”

“Hey,” I said before I could think it through. “Knock it off, Sean.”

“Bitch, why don’t you get the fuck out—”