Ryan pulled his hat up and over to the side, his eyes finally in view. “I can handle prison rules, it’s the cheating when there is supposed to be rules that bothers me. I lost twenty bucks!”

“Oh no!” Beth said, laughing. “Did you lose money, Baby?” Chad pursed his lips and nodded, still brooding. “Aw!” she said, rubbing his back.

We sat at the table, discussing the game. Our laughter saturated the room, causing the other patrons to stare. After a while, Ryan leaned over and pulled my chair closer to him, the legs grating against the floor. He stretched his arm around the back of my chair and smiled, flashing the deep dimple in his cheek.

Ryan’s destiny to be my future husband popped into my head, and a strange ache overwhelmed me. Ryan’s future was forever changed the second Jared sat on that bench. I would never take that moment back, but I cared about Ryan. I wanted him to be happy, and that was impossible if I stayed in the picture. One of these days I would have to remove myself completely from his life, and because of that, either Claire or Jared would be separated from their family.

Ryan gripped my shoulder and pulled me to his side. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

“Hmmm?” I said, distracted.

“She’s been like that the whole time she’s been here,” Kim complained.

Ryan hugged me to him again and I turned, throwing my arms around him. He tensed, obviously not expecting my sudden display of affection. After his initial shock wore off, he rested his chin on my shoulder and enveloped me in his arms.

He puffed a short laugh. “What’s going on, Nigh?” he whispered into my neck.

I shook my head. I couldn’t tell him, and even if I did, I didn’t want him to know.

“We’re, uh…we’re going to take off,” Chad said.

“Is it all right if I catch a ride with you?” Kim asked.

I pulled away from Ryan and looked up at my friends. “It’s Friday. Did you want to go out later?”

Kim shot a look at Ryan and then back at me. “I already have plans. Tomorrow night?”

I nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll catch a ride with Nina,” Ryan said.

Beth and I both looked at Chad, who shrugged. “Cool. See ya.” He lifted his hand to wave and they filed out of the coffee shop.

I looked at Ryan, embarrassed. “It’s official. I’m a freak.”

“You’re not a freak. Chad was planning on taking Beth back with him, anyway. They have dinner plans.”

“I cleared the table in less than two minutes. I’m a freak.”

“You want to grab some dinner?”

I tried to think of a delicate way to turn him down, but he spoke before anything came to mind.