“Foller guided me. A lot.” I emphasize the last two words. “In high school. College. In the League.”

I won’t push it and inch closer to having to admit that Coach was the reason I dwindled away our friendship. That wasn’t on him more than it was on me. I mean, he might’ve not put a gun to my head. But he was in my head like any role model, and all I’d hear was You are the company you keep. And at the time, he had convinced me that the only thing hanging with Parker would get me would be a prison sentence and not a Division I scholarship. In hindsight, that does seem extreme. But then again, we’re about to commit marriage fraud at a wedding the president is hosting for us.

“You did the work, not him. I’ve never met a successful person give the majority of credit to someone else the way you do.” She slides over a bowl and the eggs before I can respond. “Can you crack these?”

“Of course.” Apparently, I’m all talk because pieces of shell accompany the first egg into the bowl. When Parker’s back is turned, I stealthily guide one up and out with my finger, tossing it into the sink and hoping it goes unnoticed, and it seems to. Parker appears more interested in my second intense yawn of the morning.

“I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“Last night? Or every night this week?” When I see the shame swim in her eyes, I shake my head. “It’s fine. I’m just a light sleeper.”

It’s fine to leave it at that, because it’s the truth. But truer is that her behavior has me sick inside knowing she doesn’t feel safe here.

“This building, it’s pretty secure. There’s a doorman, CCTV⁠—”

Parker takes the bowl from me, moving back to the stove. “I never said there was a problem with the building.”

Parker didn’t say that. I just don’t know how to open the subject any more delicately. Because I worry that even though I’m being careful, like I was with the egg, I’ll chip away a piece of Parker I won’t be able to put back together.

“Do you do that every night?” I ask against my better judgment. “The thing with the doors?”

I’m wondering if up until this week, maybe I haven’t slept as lightly as I thought.

She lowers the heat. “Just on bad nights.”

What the hell does that mean?

“I once read most couples divorce within the first year because of one of two things. Money and communication issues.”

Parker snorts. “Well, I guess we don’t have to worry about fixing anything with a divorce pending.”