A couple walking hand in hand strolled by, their faces curious as Quinn and Ethan stood glaring at each other.

“This is going nowhere,” Quinn said, her voice barely audible through her gritted teeth.

Ethan nodded. He didn’t even sound angry, which pissed her off even more. “You’re right about that. Put some decent clothes on and do something with your face so we can go somewhere and have breakfast or a drink. I’m still on East Coast time.”

Quinn couldn’t believe his audacity. In two seconds he went from insulting her mother to telling her to do something with herself so they could go eat. As though he knew it would all be settled and he’d get his way like he always did. That she’d fall into his arms and thank him for choosing her.

“No,” she said, feeling very decisive.

“No what?”

“No to everything. I said this is going nowhere, and I meant it. Our relationship is over. You need to go home, Ethan.”

“Don’t be stupid, Quinn.”

She shrugged. She might be turning down the security of marriage and throwing away a lot of invested years, but the veil had been lifted, and now she saw what others saw in Ethan. What her mother and Maggie saw. What she knew deep in her own heart but didn’t want to admit.

It was over. She’d never felt so sure about something. He might love her in his own shortsighted way, but it wasn’t enough. In one tough moment, he’d gone off to find someone to help him lick his wounds. He didn’t appreciate her, and he damn sure didn’t respect her. That realization made her love him less. It also made it easier for her to do what she was about to do.

“I don’t want to be with you anymore, Ethan. I don’t want the life we built together, the ten-year plan, or the emotionless condominium with all the convenient perks that you like so much. I don’t want us.”

The surprising thing was that she wasn’t crying over it.

He looked shocked. Quinn had no doubt that he’d expected to come to Maui, order her to behave, and have her back on a plane and home by the weekend. As he realized she was serious, his shocked expression turned angry.

“If I walk away right now, don’t expect me to turn around,” he said. “It will be over, and I won’t change my mind.”

She nodded.

“I know it will. Once you feel rejected, you don’t forgive.” She’d seen many friendships crumble under Ethan’s impossible expectations.

“Don’t do this, Quinn,” he said. “Gina was nothing. It will never happen again, and we can go back to the way things were.”