I ran out of the expo with Casey. Right out of there, stopped by the store for some ice cream and then back to my apartment.

By the time we get inside, Oliver is cowered in the corner, and I realize why fairly quickly. He’s peed on the kitchen floor. Again.

Some think—like Zane—that because Oliver is a dog, he shouldn’t annoy me. It happens to every couple, even in a dog/human relationship. Live with anyone for longer than a few days, and you’re bound to get annoyed with one another. Dogs are no exception.

“Come on.” I motion for Casey to get off the couch where she’s staring at her dress in her hand. “I have to walk Oliver, and I’m not doing it alone.”

Gently, she hangs her dress up in the coat closet next to the door. “Let’s go in the hot tub.”

“Fine, but we have to bring Oliver.”

We both change into our swimsuits. As I’m putting Oliver’s leash on him, Casey reaches for her cell phone.

I eye it offensively, and she feels the need to explain. “In case Bryan calls me.”

I’m not buying that, are you?

“Uh-huh.”

Her eyes drift to my body as I wrap the towel around my chest. “Damn girl. Swimming does your body good.”

Pushing her hands away, I reach for her towel and throw it at her. “Grab that bottle of wine.”

Outside, Casey smiles at Tathan’s door when we pass by it. I know she’s dying to go inside and beg him to take her wedding photos now that she knows exactly who he is.

“Stay off your phone,” I warn her, opening the gate to the pool and hot tub.

Inside the courtyard, she guards her phone and I know she’s on Facebook because I can see the blue login screen as it lights her face in the night.

“I’m texting Bryan.”

“You are not.”

“I am.” She shows me her screen of a selfie she just took of herself in her bikini and sent to him.

“You guys are sick.”

All in all, I’m happy for them. Jealous, yes. But happy.

“You know what makes me mad?” Casey asks, once we’re in the hot tub and Oliver is lying beside us on our towels.

“What, Casey?” I twist to the side to fill my wine glass and Casey’s.

“Over the last three months, I’ve sent Elliott Warren like a million messages.” She takes her phone and turns on some music for us. “Not once has he replied. I mean, it’s kinda rude when you think about it. I have a bone to pick with him.”

“He’s an asshole.” I bring the wine glass to my lips.

“Or just that famous,” Casey adds, playing with the wet strands of her hair as I hand her wine to her. “I bet he has someone who checks his messages for him. I bet he has a maid too.”

“I don’t understand him.” I face her, holding my wine in one hand. “He’s so confusing. And damn it, he lied to me.”

“Technically, he didn’t lie to you,” she points out, picking up her cell phone beside her, careful not to let it drop in the water. “You never asked him if he was Elliott Warren. He just didn’t tell you he was a famous photographer.”

“Whatever. He’s my neighbor. You would think I would know something like that. I didn’t even put two and two together when I saw the framed photos in his apartment.”

“Like I said.” She sets her phone down, turning it over, so the screen doesn’t get wet. “You’re intimidating.”

I get defensive. “What are you going to do when you’re married? You can’t stay here every Friday and Saturday night.” I slump down in the water until the bubbles hit my chin and tickle my nose.

“I’ll still be with you. Bryan is on the night shift until his residency ends,” Casey tells me, as if I should have known this. Which I did. “You know I can’t stay alone at night by myself.”

A year ago, Casey was at home alone when a man broke into their apartment about six miles from here. She was unharmed, and the guy freaked out and left when he realized Casey was home, but still, it was an invasion, and she never stayed there alone anymore.

I can’t blame her because I would be the exact same way. The idea of someone coming into your home, unwelcomed with malicious intent, is just plain scary.

“Yes, I know,” I finally admit. “Maybe you can pay half my rent then since you’re staying here.” I’m joking, but Casey looks appalled.

“No.”

“That’s mean. You should at least offer since you’re here so often.”

She rolls her eyes. “You don’t make Oliver pay half the rent.”

Oliver’s ears perk up at the mention of his name, but he doesn’t move from his position on my towel. “He’s a puppy.”

Casey starts laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. “I still can’t believe Zane named his puppy Prada.”

“I can. Remember the goldfish he had last year and he named it Gucci?”

“How could I forget? He cried when it died.”

He really did.

Casey and I are down there about ten minutes, talking about the bachelorette party when I see Tathan walking toward the gate with a towel in hand and his swim shorts on.

I glare at Casey. “You tagged us in the hot tub, didn’t you?”

She nods, smiling so wide her eyes squint.

Setting my wine down, I splash water in her face. “You’re an asshole.”

Casey says nothing more as Tathan approaches. “Hello, ladies.”

I want to drown myself. And then have him resuscitate me back to life.

“I’m getting married in two weeks,” Casey announces, trying to get her foot in the door when Tathan emerges himself waist deep in the water next to me.

Tathan nods, smiling politely at her, but says nothing to her directly.

I suppose in a sense he’s polite, but there’s a certain amount of shyness present when he’s around a group of people. It’s almost like he’s a completely different person, guarded and unsure.

“Are you excited?” he asks Casey, making an attempt at conversation when I don’t say anything to him.

“I am.” And that sends Casey into a conversation I’m not sure Tathan is prepared for. “We met when we were fifteen, and I can’t wait to finally be married to him. He’s in the middle of his internship at Deer Valley Hospital where’s he’s going to be a surgeon.”

Tathan nods to everything she’s saying as she goes into detail about the proposal and everything she has left to do.

He knows exactly what she’s getting at when she says, “I’m still searching for a photographer.”

A good amount of silence follows that statement, and he smiles, understanding what she’s waiting for.

Only it doesn’t come.

He says nothing to her, but smiles and takes a drink of his beer he brought down with him.

Maybe he’s playing hard to get, I might never know, but I laugh despite what happens.

Oliver, who’s beside me licking my wine glass knocks it over when Casey’s phone starts ringing.

She picks it up and answers, Tathan’s eyes shift to mine so I look over at Oliver and pet his ears. Immediately he’s trying to drink my wine. Damn dog is an alcoholic already.

“Buddy, no.” I tap his nose to keep him from drinking the spilled wine.

“It’s Bryan.” Casey grabs his leash and holds the phone away from her ear for a second. “I’ll take him up with me.”

“I’ll come with you.” I go to get out, but she waves me off and gives me that look like don’t be rude.

“You stay.”

I do, but I don’t like it.

Well, I don’t want to like it.

Truth is, I want to be around Tathan, I just don’t want to admit it to myself.

“Tell me the truth.” He looks at me once Casey’s gone. “Did Casey tag me down here and that’s why you came down?”

“I wouldn’t know.” His tone seems off when he replies, but I can tell he’s not lying. Honest eyes never lie. “Didn’t look.”

“Why did you come down here then?”

He shrugs. “Long day.”

“I bet.”

He seems hesitant to look at me, his eyes on the palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze. “I never meant for that to be a lie. Just didn’t think it mattered.”

“I guess it didn’t,” I say, knowing it doesn’t. If he wants to go by a different name for the sake of maintaining privacy, that’s up to him.

The only reason I was mad was because I was caught off guard by it. At least I’m telling myself that tonight. It’s also the wine in my hand telling me that.

For now, I’m going to try not to stare at him, let the warmth of the hot tub calm my Tathan/Elliott frazzled nerves, and do my best to not dream about hot tub sex with him sitting this close.

He moves closer to me to the point where I can feel his breath on my shoulder.

Leaning in, he whispers in my ear. “Don’t be mad, please.”

I turn my head, ready to say something, but he’s so close that I could kiss him. I want to. He’s beautiful and tempting and it’d be so easy.

Just lean in.

I’m about to when I finally gather my senses. “I gotta go.”

I jump up out of the water, reaching for my towel and run away for the second time today.