Desperate to sit with these memories a bit longer, Whitney clicked into her phone and went to Amelia’s Instagram account. She scrolled back through, searching for the photos of them from the wedding, but couldn’t find them. When she stopped, she’d gone all the way back to last summer. Confused, she swept her index finger back up. She knew Amelia had posted them. She’d seen them on her account. Amelia had been so happy with how she looked that day in her yellow sundress and gold strappy sandals. Had even said that her self-tan was “on point.”

As Whitney continued scanning the photos, her stomach lurched. Not only were the photos from the wedding missing, so was every photo Amelia had ever posted of them together.

Why would they be gone?

Had Amelia taken them down or had someone else?

Music blasted from the phone, startling her. Jay’s name and picture covered the screen.

Oh, thank God. “Jay?”

“Whitney,” he whispered so softly she could barely hear him.

“Jay, what’s going on?”

“I need you to stop calling me.”

Whitney had to strain to hear him. “I’m just trying to figure out what the hell’s going on. I went to your place. You don’t live there.”

“I know,” he continued to whisper. “That’s my brother’s place.”

“Why would you take me to your—”

“Jay?” A woman’s muffled voice cut through their conversation.

“Just a minute,” he said loudly. Then whispered, “I’m married, okay?”

“What? I don’t—”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? But this isn’t what I bargained for. You going to my brother’s place and the police contacting me.”

“The police contacted you? What did you tell them?”

“That I know nothing about where Amelia is. God, I can’t believe you’d even think I would.” A loud exhale floated through the line. “This whole thing was a mistake. I never should’ve talked to you at the bar that night. Don’t call me again.”

The line went dead.

Whitney sunk down onto the edge of Amelia’s bed, but it sloped beneath her. Pushing up with her toes, she scooted back slightly in an effort to stabilize herself. It didn’t work. Inside she felt anything but stable. Her stomach shook, her chest tightened and that funny fluttery feeling that she’d had since yesterday was getting worse. She did feel slightly relieved, assuming now at least he hadn’t used her to get to Amelia or steal her money. But married?

In hindsight, all the red flags were there. That apartment. His long hours and work trips—over weekends, really? Why had she refused to see them? But she knew why. It was because of how hard Amelia had been pushing her away. The distance between them felt immeasurable. She’d been so lonely. Needy. Jay filled that void, or at least a portion of it.