I want to slam my head against the wall to rearrange my brain because the nostalgia of having Miller next to me hits my chest hard. Like a wave crashing against the shore in the middle of a hurricane. It leaves me out of breath and crumbling.

“Did you meet someone?” she asks.

Every second I spent with Miller Archer since we boarded the plane plays inside my head and I want to tell her about it so bad, but what’s the point?

If I confide in her, she’s going to think I’m an idiot for believing I was in a relationship with a guy who proposed a fake relationship. I mean, we agreed it was just for the weekend.

I shake my head.

“Nope,” I say.

It’s not worth mentioning him, is it?

In retrospect, it was a crazy stunt taken from Pretty Woman and sadly, Miller is no Richard Gere. He never came back to say … he didn’t even say goodbye.

“Are you sure nothing happened?” she asks, giving me that suspicious glare.

It’s the same look she used to give me growing up when she swore I borrowed her stuff without permission and didn’t believe me when I swore I hadn’t touched it. Which let’s be honest, yes, I did break her first pair of heels. Which is also how I learned to only use tennis shoes while riding a bike.

But I never borrowed her cherry-flavored lip balm, nor lost her denim jacket. Thomas gifted that lip balm to his girlfriend, Taylor, and lent the jacket to Nancy after he ruined her top trying to feel her up.

“If you need to talk, I’m here,” she says, giving me a side hug. “I know I’m not Courtney or Madeline, but...you know.”

“Thanks,” I say, leaning my head on her shoulder as I try to set my head straight and come back to myself.

Cold, casual, all business. That’s the only way I get people to take me seriously and I never get hurt.

After everyone leaves, my parents drive me to my house. Surprisingly—not really—my place is sparkling clean, and Reggie is right by the door waiting for me. Leash in his mouth.

I am close to ask her something like, “Mom, did you clean my apartment and ... why is my dog in the house?”

But it seems pointless. I squat and hug my sweet boy, rubbing his ears.

“I missed you, boy,” I say, holding him tight to me. “We’ll go for a walk in a bit.”

“Thomas went to pick him up after the party. We just wanted you to relax for the next couple of days.”

“You guys are the best,” I say.