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“Oh, come on!” Piper rolled her eyes. “Any guy who puts his career plans before my best friend can go fuck himself—not you!”

“Piper, three years together is a long time. You just don’t throw a relationship away when things get rough. You work through it.” Riley slopped salsa over the cheese and chips.

“Just because my longest relationship only lasted two months doesn’t mean I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, but you don’t.” Riley huffed, a tightness squeezing her jaw.

“But I understand you.” Piper lifted the remote, muting Mark. “I know you’ve been feeling down lately. I know you’re scared, and I would be too if I were you, but you’re not alone. You’ve got me and Casey. We’re your family. I know we’re dysfunctional as fuck, but we love you, ’kay? You don’t need that selfish idiot.”

Piper, you don’t know the half of it…

“No matter how he spins it—”

“Josh proposed.” Her words hung in the air, freezing the room into silence.

Five

Her spoon clanked loudly on the counter. Fuck. I didn’t want to tell her like that.

“What?!” Piper snapped her gum and dropped the remote. “Did you say yes?”

Riley opened her mouth, about to say something, but settled into a silent pout. She scattered more cheese and then stopped, her eyes fixed on the plate. “I was going to suggest we take a break. With everything going on, I thought we could both use some space, focus on school and stuff without the constant obligation of checking in with each other every day. Then after graduation, we could see if we wanted the same things—see if we wanted to stay together.” She spun the plate around, her finger trailing along its edge. “On Thursday, we were alone—finally—and I think he sensed something was up. He took me out for a surprise meal. Fucking great, right? I’d have to do it in a public place. Not ideal, but I was running out of chances since he’d be playing hockey again the next day…but before I could say anything, he asked me. I couldn’t believe it! He got down on one knee with two packages of Reese’s—”

“That’s lame.”

“He had a toy ring underneath the candy. He said he loved me so much he couldn’t wait any longer to make things official. He doesn’t want to spend another winter without me and…” Her eyes drifted across the wall, settling on her Lairds and Liars calendar.

“And what?”

“He said…” As Riley shifted her weight from foot to foot, the floorboards creaked underneath her socks. “He said when he signs with the Wild this spring, he’ll take care of everything…bills and all that…”

“He what?” Piper squinted at the mail on top of Riley’s suitcase. “Oh, so now he’s bribing you? Fucker—”

“He’s not bribing me. It’s what committed couples do, Pip. They support each other emotionally, physically—financially. He says he doesn’t want me to worry—”

“Worry? Jeez, it’s a bit too late for that. My God! Be still my cold heart. Josh is such a romantic.” Piper curled her lip. “The manipulative dick, I’d like to cut—”

“His balls off—yeah, you’ve told me a million times.”

The veins in Piper’s neck bulged. “He’s totally playing with your emotions!”

Riley opened the toaster oven and slid the nachos inside. “No, if anything, he’s being…practical. He knows we’ve grown apart because of the distance, and he knows how desperate I—” Her words stopped abruptly as tears began to sting her eyes.

“Aww, don’t sweetie.” Hopping to her feet, Piper swerved around the ladder and wrapped herself around her best friend. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. It’s just…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Josh complicating matters isn’t helping.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Wiping her nose, Riley withdrew from the hug and retreated to the fridge. Leaning down, her tired, watery eyes searched its bare interior. “My worst nightmare’s coming true and there’s nothing I can do to stop it, but Josh’s money might make a difference.”

“Why don’t you ask Erika instead?”

Riley selected a crusty bottle of ranch dressing and closed the door. “I know we joke about her being loaded, but it’s Scott’s money, not hers—and besides, they’re saving for their wedding.” She opened the lid and sniffed the contents.

“Yeah, which will cost the same as two years’ tuition and be splashed over Page Six—the hockey star and his ballerina princess.”

“She hasn’t danced for years, Pip. You wear more tutus than she does.”

“I’m just saying you could ask. She’s got money to burn.”

Riley left the bottle on the counter. “No way. Talk about putting her in a really awkward position. I can’t do that to her. And Josh offered—”