“Hannah! I’m not lying. I would never, ever—”
“Stop talking, Grady. I’m leaving.”
“What do you mean you’re leaving?” he asks, looking more panicked than I’ve ever seen him.
“I mean—I’m leaving this restaurant. I’m leaving this relationship. I’m leaving you.”
“Hannah! Wait. Please, please don’t do this,” he says, his hands in prayer formation. “Please, Hannah. I love you.”
I stare into his eyes, and for one fleeting second, I feel sorry for him. Then I remember the way he looked in bed with Berlin.
“Sorry, Grady. We’re done,” I say, shaking my head. “Have a nice life.”
Chapter 5
Tyson
I keep one eye on Hannah while I sit at the bar. Lainey’s back is to our table, so she keeps glancing over her shoulder. I tell her to knock it off before Grady sees her, so she demands a play-by-play. I tell her they’re just talking.
Then, suddenly, Hannah gets up from the table and starts to walk toward us.
“Okay. She’s coming,” I say.
“Oh, shit. That was fast. How does she look?”
I tell her Hannah looks pretty calm—and her chin is up—but as she gets closer, I start to worry that she’s almost too composed. Maybe she hasn’t done the deed?
“What about Grady? What’s he doing?”
“Nothing. He’s just sitting there. Looking at his phone. Maybe she’s going to the restroom?”
“Ugh. If she chickens out—I swear to God—I will go over there and do it myself. And wine will be thrown!”
“No doubt,” I say, just as Hannah makes eye contact with me. She gives me a slight nod before making a sharp turn at the hostess stand, heading straight out the restaurant door.
“She just walked out,” I say, getting pumped. “She must have done it!”
“Wow!” Lainey says, spinning around on her stool.
“Go get her,” I say to Lainey. “Call us an Uber. I’ll be right there.”
Lainey gives me a confused look. “Wait. Are you going to tell him off?”
“No. I just need to settle up—”
“Tyson! You can’t pay!”
“Can I at least get my beer?” I say, raising the glass in my hand.
“No! Transfer it to the table.”
“It’s one beer, Lainey. I’ll look like a jerk if I walk out. Just go get Hannah—” I say. “I’m right behind you.”
As Lainey runs after Hannah, I make eye contact with the bartender. When he comes over to me, I explain the situation as tactfully as I can, discreetly gesturing toward our table.
“Call me if he gives you any trouble with the check. He might. The guy’s an asshole,” I say, handing him a twenty, along with my business card.
The bartender nods, smiles, and says, “Got it. Thanks, man.”
“No problem,” I say.
On my way out the door, I make a point not to look back at Grady.
—
“SHE DID IT! SHE TOTALLY DID IT!” Lainey shouts as I join them in the back of our getaway car. Hannah is in the middle, and I give her a hug as Lainey giddily debriefs me.
“I’m really proud of you,” I tell Hannah.
“I just followed the plan,” she says with a shrug.
“Still. That must have been really tough.”
She nods, looking shell-shocked as Lainey continues to whoop it up, replaying all the highlights. Hannah feeds off Lainey’s energy, even laughing at moments, but by the time we get back to her apartment, I can tell her adrenaline is wearing off—and that she is about to fall apart.
“Why don’t you change into something comfortable, and Lainey and I will order a pizza?” I suggest, settling onto the sofa.
“Unless you want to go out?” Lainey says, wildly misreading the room.
