Page 31 of The Statistically Unlikely Reunion

“Yeah, borderline. As in not dead.” I hold a finger to my lips and tiptoe to my bedroom, opening the door a crack to confirm Lucas has not stirred.

Gwendy’s voice is depressingly not-quiet when I return. “And how did your one-that-got-away end up in our apartment?”

I pull her into our shared kitchen, and though it’s not that big of an apartment, it’s as far away as we can get, before giving her the abbreviated version.

“So you’re going to one-bed tonight, right?” Gwendy wriggles her brows. “It’s my favorite romance trope. The best. Maybe closely followed by fake dating. OMG. Daisy met her math-y daddy⁠—”

“Don’t call Lars that.”

“—while fake dating, and now you’re going to reunite with the-one-that-got-away through one-bed. You’re a second-chance, one-bed romance! I am so jealous of you and Daisy right now.”

“Why are you even home?”

“Flight canceled, all flights grounded, long story. Carry on.”

I know she’s not going to like this, but⁠—

“You have a queen bed.”

“No.” Gwendy is already shaking her head, her curls bouncing every which way. She tries to sound firm as she says, a decided twinkle in her eyes, “I like my space too much to share my bed with you.”

I cross my arms, even though my entire body is wilting in exhaustion. It would have been harder without Gwendy home to keep myself away from Lucas. It’s not hard to picture the alternate reality in which I go in to check on him, where I wrap myself like a barnacle around Lucas, but now that there are witnesses? I can hold myself accountable. I will. “You made us all sleep in your bed after watching Sinners.”

“No one told me that movie had vampires!” I hold Gwendy’s gaze until she relents with a whine. “But this is the perfect setup. You can curl up next to him because you’re cold⁠—”

“It’s eighty degrees outside.”

“—because I’ll break the AC. And then, because there’s only one bed, you’ll share it, and during the night, he’ll turn toward you out of habit, and⁠—”

“Stop it.”

“He’s Sagittarius A*!”

Gwendy is so loud I actually cover her mouth with my hand. Even if he were awake and sober, there’s no way Lucas would understand Gwendy’s crazy nicknames, and yet—I don’t want to tempt fate. I finger the jade necklace, as if that will somehow ward off bad luck.

“I really cannot share a bed with Lucas.”

Gwendy’s brown eyes are huge as she nods. “I shouldn’t have pushed.”

I shake my head, because I’d rather deal with teasing than sympathy. “I’ll go and get my pajamas and a change of clothes. With any luck, I can sneak out before Lucas even wakes up.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to at least tell him⁠—”

I give a firm headshake.

“I can’t.”

“But—”

“I won’t.”

Seeing my distress finally silences Gwendy.

“Help me get through tonight, and then the wedding?”

Gwendy nods, and I head back into my bedroom to gather my pajamas and clothes. Lucas has stirred a little, but his breathing remains deep and even. I allow myself a last moment to look my fill before closing the door gently, determined to wake and leave early, before there’s a chance for any confrontation or awkward questions.

Turns out, I needn’t have bothered.