I abandon my drink at a lone table sometime during one of the many surface-level conversations I have with old teammates and my former physics teacher, who I was convinced Coach once paid off so I wouldn’t fail because then I wouldn’t be able to suit up. If I get one more who would’ve thought you’d two end up married while I’m forced to watch Parker have plenty of one-on-one time with Congressman Cam, I’m going to lose it.

I stare at my letterman jacket that Parker left on the high-top table they stand at, like it’s an afterthought. Like I—her husband—am the afterthought. Every so often, her eyes drift over, searching for mine.

Fuck it, I think to myself. Let her put on a show.

But when Parker tosses her head back and laughs, reaching out to touch Cam’s arm, the sight of my ring has me on the move. I refuse to be humiliated.

I cross the grass, weaving in and out of alum who stare, and make my way to Parker.

“Fitzy.” Camden smiles. “We were just talking about you.”

I take Parker’s left hand. “I need to borrow my wife for a moment.”

With her free hand, Parker grabs her purse and my jacket, nearly falling but catching herself against me. All eyes are on us as I drag Parker onto the path and walk down along the back of the brick schoolhouse. I’m stomping so fast I don’t even have a second to decide where I’m taking her before we make it to a door I anticipate being locked.

But Mrs. Ford, our freshman Math teacher, steps out. “The bathrooms in the science wing are open,” she says.

“Th-thank you,” Parker stutters as we blow past. She stumbles on the small step of the entry as she tries to put all her weight back to stop me.

“Watch your step, wife.”

“Fitz! What are you doing? Everyone was staring!”

She tries to twist her arm free from my grasp, but I hold her tighter as I bring her down the hall.

I scoff. “Oh, now you’re worried about optics. You didn’t seem so concerned thirty seconds ago when you somehow found the nerve to flirt with another man in front of your husband’s entire graduating class!”

“Flirt! You have no idea what you’re talking about. I was⁠—”

Parker quiets when I push open a classroom door at the end of the hall and drag her into a science lab.

With both of us inside, I slam the door shut. When I face her again, the look she gives me should be more than enough to calm down and apologize.

“I was not flirting with Cam, Fitz. You’re being ridiculous.”

“Sure as hell looked like it.”

Parker stamps her foot, clearly annoyed.