Chloe

Chloe didn’t waste a moment before seeking out Ethan. She’d made sure never to lose sight of him the whole time she was with Brady. After their conversation she finally felt free. It made her feel like she was walking on air as she approached Ethan. Unlike Brady, Chloe knew a good thing when she had it and she had no intention of letting anyone else interrupt her before she let Ethan know exactly what was in her heart.

Ethan

Ethan’s heart was his throat as he watched Chloe walk toward him. She was smiling so he prayed he’d misinterpreted Brady’s comment. But it was hard to feel hopeful. From where Ethan had been standing while Brady danced with the girl who’d captured Ethan’s heart, it looked every bit like Chloe was getting back together with her ex.

Please don't break my heart, Chloe. You don't have to pick me but you can do so much better than him.

“Hey,” Chloe greeted cheerfully when she reached Ethan. “Can we finish our dance?”

He nodded.

For a while all they did was dance, but Ethan found it impossible to enjoy himself like he had been before. Each time a new song started he wondered if it would be the song he was listening to when Chloe dashed all of his dreams.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. “Chloe,” he said, quietly. “I need to ask you something.”

“Okay.”

“Are you over Brady? Because I’m certain he’s not over you.”

She sighed. “Maybe he’s not, but that doesn’t matter. He's not the one I want to be with.”

Hope spiked through Ethan, sending his pulse through the roof. “Really?”

“Really. I’m not interested in repeating past mistakes.”

Ethan huffed a quiet laugh. “Harsh.”

Chloe laughed, too. “I let him down easy. Besides, I think Brady will be just fine.”

“How do you know?”

Chloe jutted her chin toward the bar.

When Ethan followed her line of sight he shook his head. Brady was already flirting with another girl. “Wow, it seems you made the right decision.”

Chloe

Chloe sighed. “Brady’s always been like a puppy with a new toy. I don’t think he can help it.” She laughed. “He just prefers things that are shiny and new.”

Her heart hurt a little, realizing at some point she’d lost that appeal. Would that happen with Ethan?

“What are you thinking?” Ethan asked, his lips so close to her ear that she shivered.

“I guess I’m just wondering if everyone’s sparkle dulls at some point.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I guess that's what happened with me and Brady.”

Ethan pulled back and stunned Chloe with an angry gaze. “Sometimes I feel like we’re on the exact same wavelength and sometimes you’re ridiculously blind.” Ethan stroked a hand slowly down her cheek. “There is nothing dull about you, Chloe Price.” His hand trailed to her chest, pressing over her heart. “Your sparkle is right here. Anyone too blind to see that doesn't deserve you anyway.”

Chloe swallowed against the fever threatening to engulf her. No one had ever said something that beautiful to her in her entire life. She never even knew she’d been waiting to hear those words but now that she had she felt like she was falling toward the earth without a parachute.

That was it. Those words pushed her over the edge. Chloe was no longer falling for Ethan. She was head over heels plummeting. She was seconds away from letting her lips crash into his when something buzzed against her hip making her jump.

“What’s wrong?”

Chloe blinked back to reality and realized it was her phone buzzing wildly in the deep pocket of her flowy dress. “Sorry,” she murmured.

Normally, Chloe wouldn’t have even brought her phone but she was worried about Margot. Her sister had been a complete mess the entire time the boys were gone, oscillating between fits of sobs and laughter. Chloe had taken her back to the house and made her lay down. She seemed better before they came to the party, but she said she’d been feeling queasy. Chloe chalked it up to nerves, but she told Margot she’d have her phone handy in case she needed anything.

So when Chloe saw her sister’s name on her screen, followed by a cryptic text, her heart plummeted.

Margot: 911. Meet me in the ladies room.

Chloe reached up and kissed Ethan on the lips.

He blinked at her in shock. “Please hold that thought.”

As she started to pull away he grabbed her hand, following her off the dance floor. “Wait. Where are you going?”

“Margot needs me.”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s private.” Chloe hated the look that crossed Ethan’s face when she told him she had to exclude him. “Can I see your phone?” she asked quickly.

He pulled it from his pocket and Chloe swiped it from his hand, rushing to put her number in. Her fingers flew across the screen until she sent herself a text. When she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket she reached up and kissed Ethan again. “I'm sorry, but I have to go. I’ll text you later and explain. I promise.”