“What? Why?” I pull out my phone to see if she texted. It isn’t like her to just leave. Yeah, it might be awkward that my ex showed up, but Sydney knows I’d never get back with Amelia. At least I think she does.

Tara meets my gaze and then hers flits away.

“What’s that face?” It hits me slowly. Guilty as hell, that’s what that face is. “Tara, what did you say to her?”

“I was honest. Maybe a little too honest, but she needed to hear it.” Tara gets to her feet. “Sydney seems nice enough and she’s beautiful, of course, but, come on, she’s not the girl for you long-term.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You keep ruining perfectly good relationships. Amelia is just the last in a long line. I thought if you talked to her you could work things out. You seemed to really like this one, and I liked her too. Don’t blow it because you want to live in this casual fun lifestyle forever. I see guys do it at my school all the time. There are all these great girls, but they continually sleep around with whichever girl hangs around the most.”

“I don’t have enough time to tell you all the ways you’re wrong. Sydney isn’t some girl who’s been hanging around for two years happy to fill in the gaps between girlfriends. She’s my best friend and I love her. I’ve been in love with her. So, whatever grand scheme you concocted to parade all my ex-girlfriends in here and try to help me get over my relationship issues and chase Sydney away, know this: I choose Sydney. I’ve chosen her a million times, and I’ll do it a million times more.” I’m so pissed, but I can deal with Tara later. “I need to find my girl.”

I check the bedrooms just in case, but there’s no sign of Sydney. After grabbing my keys from the kitchen, I rush to the door.

“Tanner?” Corinne calls out.

I throw open the door but pause.

“I overheard her on the phone. I think she’s heading back to Valley.”

“Thank you.”

Sprinting through the rain, I make it to my car and hop in before I realize Amelia hasn’t left. She’s sitting in her car watching the rain pelt down.

Shit.

I hop back out and run to her car. Big, cold drops drench my T-shirt.

She rolls the window down an inch. “I’m just waiting for it to let up.”

As dark as the sky is, she might be waiting awhile.

“Wait inside.”

“Oh no, it’s okay.”

“Amelia, it’s fine. I’m going to find Sydney, but we’ll be back.”

She doesn’t make any move to turn off the car and I continue to get soaked while trying to convince her.