One year ago….

Drew should have known better. That last whiskey had been a bad decision, and meeting up with his friends at a karaoke bar was a disaster waiting to happen.

Everyone knew that anger and karaoke did not mix. Drinking and karaoke, yes. One could not exist without the other, that’s what Livvy had said the first time she’d dragged him to one of these bars hidden away in the city’s tiny Koreatown. Basically just one long avenue block jam-packed with restaurants on the street level and karaoke bars up above.

But even in his drunken state, he was dimly aware that this was a mistake. He should calm down and sober up before facing his best friends. Because it wasn’t just anger that had him shaking as he walked into the dimly lit bar. It was everything—all the emotions he’d been suppressing for the past three and a half years. Almost four. From the very first day of college he’d been holding it in, and now…well, now it was all ready to combust.

A cute brunette was up on the stage enthusiastically butchering “Dancing Queen” to a laughing crowd. He didn’t recognize her. She wasn’t from his group. But he spotted his friends a second later, they were sitting up front, close to the stage.

Of course they were, Livvy wouldn’t have it any other way. She’d been dragging them to these bars for years now and with graduation only two weeks away, she’d been bound and determined that they all have one last night of drunken singing fun.

That was how she’d put it—drunken singing fun. And there she was. Right up front, next to the stage, laughing at something one of their friends had said.

God, she was gorgeous. Her long blonde hair had been thrown up in a loose bun on top of her head, showing off her long neck and slender shoulders. As he watched she threw her head back, her pretty, delicate features alight with laughter. Then she came to stand and he stopped walking. He stopped breathing. He watched her and for one blissful moment, the off-key singing disappeared and the crowd of tipsy twentysomethings around him ceased to exist.

There was only her.

She spotted him and her smile was everything. The fact that she smiled that way at the sight of him was humbling. It made everything worthwhile, even the long nights of aching for wanting her or the torturous afternoons spent watching her moon over her boyfriend, as if he deserved it.

She was hurrying toward him, weaving through the crowd, looking like a ballerina with that hairstyle and the fitted V-neck tee. His gaze moved lower, over her ample breasts and full hips. Even better, she looked like a ballerina with a body. She consistently complained about needing to lose weight, apparently oblivious to the fact that she had the kind of body that could make grown men weep.

He should know, he’d been suffering from a constant state of frustrated longing since the day they’d first met. Which was the same day she’d met her boyfriend, who was also Drew’s best friend. Or he had been up until today. Because today he’d learned the truth. He supposed he’d always had a suspicion. He’d known deep down that his roommate wasn’t good enough for Livvy. But he’d chalked those feelings up to jealousy.

No one would be good enough for his Livvy. Not even him.

But today he’d learned the truth. At first he’d thought it might be baseless gossip, but then he’d done some digging and the truth became clear. His best friend was cheating on Livvy—the love of his life.

She reached his side and he tried to shove those thoughts away. He didn’t want to ruin her night. He didn’t want to hurt her. He’d already resolved to talk to the jackass first. Give him a chance to do the right thing and tell her the truth himself. She deserved that at the very least.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and his resolve nearly faltered. She needed to know.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, and he could tell by the sing-song way she spoke that she’d already had a few drinks. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled with laughter and joy and… Holy shit, she deserved so much better than the heartbreak that was in store for her.

There was no way around it, because she deserved to know. If he didn’t tell her, Drew would. It was that simple.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” he said. At least, that’s what he tried to say, but his words were slurring and all his energy had gone into suppressing the rage that had been eating away at him all afternoon.

Her soft, warm hand slipped into his as she led him toward the table where their friends were all gathered. As they drew close, he saw him. His best friend. Former best friend as of today. The cheating bastard who was about to break Livvy’s heart.

And just like that, his control snapped. Three and a half long years of keeping his feelings in check and the restraints snapped in a heartbeat.

Livvy smiled at him over her shoulder. “You have to sing tonight, Drew. Everyone else is being lame.” As always, she bubbled over with life, and enthusiasm, and laughter.

The brunette had left the stage and Livvy didn’t even give him a chance to stop and talk to their friends, she was dragging him to the side of the stage where a DJ of sorts waited to take requests.

“You’re up next,” she said. Wrapping her arm around his, she stood on tiptoe to talk directly into his ear. “Come on, Drew, show ‘em how it’s done.”

Then she was gone, heading back to their friends, and her seat next to her boyfriend.

Drew barely knew what he was doing.

No, that was a lie he’d tell himself later. In that moment he knew exactly what he was doing, he just refused to think it through.

He couldn’t take it any longer. He had to tell her how he felt and the DJ was waiting for him to speak. He knew exactly what to sing. It was an eighties song—she’d appreciate that. They both loved the eighties, it was their thing. One of many “things” they shared.

As he took the stage and the first chords started, he looked over to the table and met her gaze. She was laughing. She thought it was a joke. Even her ass of a boyfriend was smiling, even though he knew exactly how Drew felt about Livvy and always had. Only their friend, Avery, was frowning. She was the only other person in the world who knew how he felt about Livvy. He saw a flicker of concern as she realized what he was about to sing. Her eyes widened meaningfully. No. Don’t do this.

He took the microphone the DJ handed him and met Livvy’s gaze once more.

Too late.