“Hannah Davis!” she says in an appalled tone, as if saying the word sex is worse than Grady actually having it.

“Sorry, Mom. But that’s what happened. And I know none of us is perfect. But I’m not a liar. And I’m not a cheater. And I’m not going to marry one. Period.”

I feel a burst of pride in my best friend. She is finally standing up for herself.

“Very well,” Mrs. Davis says, now pouting. “How do you plan to notify our guests? The ‘save the dates’ already went out—”

“So you’d like me to send out ‘release the date’ announcements?” Hannah asks.

“Well, I think people need to be informed—”

“I’m pretty sure word will get around,” Hannah says. “Bad news travels fast in this town.”

“And what should I tell people? When they ask? Which they will.”

Hannah shrugs. “Tell them the truth. Tell them that Grady cheated on me, and I broke up with him. Or tell them that it’s none of their business. Frankly, I really don’t care what you tell them!”

“But if they ask how Hannah’s doing,” I interject, “please tell them she’s doing fine, under the circumstances. She’s sad, but she’s keeping her head up. And she’s leaving town to travel with her two best friends.”

“Travel?” Mrs. Davis says, looking at Hannah again.

“Yes, Mom,” Hannah says. “Lainey, Tyson, and I are taking a trip.”

“Tyson’s going?”

“Yes, Mom,” she says again. “The three of us are going together.”

Mrs. Davis purses her lips and shakes her head. I stare at her, enraged. I may not be able to save Hannah in this moment, but I can punish her mother. My mind races for the perfect burn.

“Best friends for now!” I finally say. “But maybe Grady is on to something. Hannah and Tyson really would make a cute couple. And you really can’t do better than a Yale-educated attorney, now, can you?”

Mrs. Davis gives me a horrified look as I jump up from my seat. “Anyhoo! We’d really love to stay and chat more. But we have travel plans to make! Right, Han?”

“Right, Lainey,” she says, getting to her feet. “We certainly do.”

Chapter 7

Hannah

Just as Lainey and I return from my parents’ house, a new message comes in from Grady. He is singing a different tune now, and I read his text aloud to Lainey and Tyson:

Hannah, I’m so sorry for my terrible mistake. I was at a work lunch at Chops and had too much to drink. Berlin happened to be there. She offered to give me a ride home. It was innocent. She dropped me off and went home, then realized that I left my sunglasses in her car. She was going for a walk so came by to give them to me. When I answered the door, she barged in, wanting to see the paint color you’d chosen for the dining room. She admires your decorating. We ended up having another drink and one thing led to another. It meant nothing. It will never happen again. I’m so sorry, Hannah. Please, PLEASE give me one more chance. I will never let you down again. We are so good together. I love you.

I finish reading, then look up.

“Tell me that bullshit changes nothing,” Lainey says.

“It changes nothing,” I say.

“Can you say it with a bit more conviction, please?” she says, looking worried.

I repeat the statement with a little more chutzpah.

“Okay. Good. Now write him back.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Tell him to fuck off. Tell him he’s the worst person ever. Tell him to never contact you again or that video—”

“No!” Tyson says. “Don’t mention the video in writing.”

“What should I say?” I ask him.

“Say nothing. Silence is powerful. He’s not worth your breath,” Tyson says.

Lainey sighs, then nods in reluctant agreement. “Okay. Fine. Don’t reply. And block him.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Tyson says.

“You think? I mean—I’m not going to get sucked back in or take him back. Don’t worry about that…. But won’t there be logistics we have to cover? Like, I have stuff at his house.”

“He can email you. And you can get to the logistics later. For now, he shouldn’t have access to you,” Tyson says. “More important, how did it go with your mother?”

“You don’t want to know,” I mumble.

“Oh, yes, he does!” Lainey says. “It involves him.”

“Me?” Tyson says.

I give Lainey a look not to go there, but she can’t be stopped. “Apparently, Grady told Mrs. Davis that you’re banging Hannah.”

“What?” Tyson says, looking horrified. “Seriously?” He shifts his gaze to me.

“Well, she didn’t say banging—but yes,” I say.

“Wow,” Tyson says, shaking his head. “Does she actually believe that?”

“Who knows?” I say with a sigh.

“Oh, well. I guess it’s not that surprising,” Tyson says. “Your mom has never liked me.”

“She doesn’t even know you,” I say. “She doesn’t really know Lainey, either. She just pretends she does now that Lainey’s famous.”

“I’m not famous,” Lainey says.

“Yes, you are. And she likes being associated with you,” I say, as it occurs to me that in a weird way, the same was true for Summer. My mother couldn’t have been any less interested in Summer before she died, but in the aftermath of the tragedy, she had the gall to put up a Facebook tribute.

“What’s her beef with me, anyway?” Tyson asks. “Or is it just…the obvious?” He looks down at the back of his hand.