I woke up next to Nathan this morning. Apparently, Ethan left the pillow fort to check his birdhouses while Nathan and I's body clock decided to malfunction, leaving us with a ton of awkwardness when we woke up limbs tangled cozily to one another. We haven't shared a bed since... ever. And yet waking up one morning next to him, felt hazily familiar.

"How was the sleepover, Bunny?" Kathie asks before sipping on her champagne.

I shove my fifth hors d'oeuvre of the evening and down it with my own champagne. "It was fine."

"If it had been fine, why are you stress-eating?"

I threw a thumb to Jessica next to me, engrossed with the food herself. "Jess is stress-eating too."

"Oh, sweetie, this is just eating. Maybe bored-eating, but mostly just eating. Charity events bore me to death."

Another waiter whirled past us and we grabbed more of the appetizers, exchanging unabashed looks when we pop it to our mouths in one go. Kathie suggested we go out. Attending one of the city's luxurious charity events wasn't I had in mind. And calls for a Champagne colored floor-length dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline I resurrected from Kathie's closet.

Still, it was better than a nightcap because it means bars and loud music which I cannot stand.

"So, you had a sleepover? Did you play mommy and daddy?" Jess says with a wag of her eyebrows.

I take another gulp of my champagne, securing there wasn't any loose strands from my upsweep. "We did."

She made a crowing noise. "Yeah? You guys stayed up until dawn?"

"Oh. We would if we played 'honeymooners' instead," I played along, my head pleasantly buzzing on champagne.

She fetches us both another glass when another waiter came by.

"Did you ask him about Sydney?" Audrey, finally, looks up from her phone.

Kathie and Jessica gave me their full attention. "Did you?"

"Uh-huh. You're both right. She's a passive-aggressive bitch—"

"Ha. Told ya."

I held out my glass to her. "And they're not together."

Audrey nods, a ghost of a smile on her face. "Good. Now you can sweep him off his feet with a clear conscience."

I laugh at that.

"Now has any of you seen Kylie? We need to go."

Jessica pouted at her friend. "Do you really have to go?"

"I have an early flight tomorrow."

Kathie leans in with a bright smile. "I saw her chatting with Matthew Parkinson."

"Oh. That adorable vixen. Snagging bachelors under women's noses." Jessica looks around, a wide grin on her face. "Do you think all the Parkinsons are here?"

"No. I don't see Andrei," I answered.

"The straight ones, Chassie." She gives my shoulder a pat.

"You mean Cade Parkinson?" I have been friends with Andrei, and yes, I've been to his house and saw his siblings. Except his oldest brother who studied abroad and stayed under the radar.

"Never seen the guy," she murmurs.

And seemingly stayed under the radar. "Vren?"

"Heiress magnet."

"Christian?"

"Ugh. Playboy."

"Matthew?"

"Too noble."

She turns to me when I turn silent.

"Those were the straight ones. Unless you like Andrei and their little sister."

Her lips pursed. "That's it. I'm going to the club. There's nothing exciting around here."

I exchanged air kisses with Jessica and Audrey. Jess gave me an extra pat with a not so softly spoken, "Make more babies with the man."

"Don't mind her." Audrey tugged her by the elbow and gave an elegant wave.

"Bye," Kathie gushes and smiled prettily before turning to me. "So, what exactly happened last night? You talked to him about, you know, your screaming heart in there." She taps on my left chest.

"It's not screaming."

"Oh?"

"Yes. And how are you not bothered about this?"

"Bothered that you've never really fallen out of love with Nathan? Nope. Hardly." She smiles behind the rim of her glass.

"Kathie." I gaped, astonished that I couldn't correct her. I haven't denied it. Neither have I admitted it. Champagne suddenly made my head a lot heavier. I look down to my bubbling drink then gestured at a waiter walking past to take it.

"Hey, you okay?" The teasing in her voice hid away.

"Yeah," I made myself say. "Too much champagne."

"Come here." Her arm went around me. "Too much thinking, Bunny. Don't overthink it."

I rested my chin on her shoulder blade. "I'm not. Kathie," I sighed, my heart sinking, "what would you do if I told you to let me go and then ask you to take me back the next?"

She pushes me into arm's length, giving me a puzzled look. "I'm only biologically capable to love you. I'd take you back in a heartbeat. Chassie," her hand cups my cheek. She knew more than anyone whom the question was meant for, "he will understand."

I leaned to her palm. "Will he?"

We have Ethan.

And that makes the stakes even higher this time.

Kathie's eyes widened over my shoulder. Then she smiled one of her warm smiles reserved for family friends. "Margaret Parkinson is waving us to their table. You have enough smiles in you?"

"I guess." I forced a bright smile on my face. I could only manage a 'hi' and 'hello' before excusing myself to the ladies' room. As I was making my way out, I ran into someone I'm not at all pleased to see tonight.

Sydney Williams strutted toward me in her efficient nude dress with a boatneck collar and elbow-length sleeves. "Hi, Chassie George. I never expect to see you here."

I plastered on a smile that hurt. "Hi."

"Are the boys here with you?"

Of course, that's the first thing she's asking. "No. Starlet and Jett are in town. They're doing a lot of catching up with Ethan."

Something flashes across her eyes. "Oh? They're in town?"

"Yes." Only then I recognized it was indignation toward my knowing about it.

She chose to smile wider. "I'm glad Starlet is finally taking a break. Is she okay now?"

It was her turn to be the informant and I, the doe-eyed recipient left out of the private information.

"Oh, you didn't know?"

I could only shake my head.

"Starlet had a meltdown a few months ago. And you know Nathan. He always has to be the dependable one. He couldn't have the time to be sad because there was so much to do. He made sure to appease her agents and silence the paparazzi."

"Oh." Nathan never told me. I fought the urge to sit down on the floor because I was light-headed all of the sudden. My hand went up to my forehead. "I hope she's doing okay."

Her smile curved further. "I hope so too."

I nodded. "Sorry, I need to go back to my sister. I might have her worried for staying way too long in the ladies' room." My voice doesn't sound right to my ear anymore. A big bile I couldn't swallow inhabited my throat.

"Okay. Tell the boys I said hi." She chirped, her eyes sparkling with... victory? It was no longer my concern. Just as knowing about the rough patches of Nathan's life, it would seem

I'm indignant about it.

And I'm also unreasonably angry.