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“Please don’t leave.”

My heart jumped into my throat and my legs propelled mebackward. I did not want whatever public display was about to happen. I whirled around and darted through an open sliding glass door and into the house. I was doused with cold air the second I stepped inside.

The house was like nothing I’d ever seen in real life before. It was gorgeous with lots of shiny surfaces—floors and countertops and artwork. It also had more rooms than one family could possibly need. Especially since that family had only two kids.

I opened several doors in an attempt to find a place to hide, but every room looked too pristine to disturb. I ended up in what could only be Dale’s room. Surprisingly, it had very little of Dale in it. It was as sterile as a hotel room. The only reason I knew it was his room was a pair of blue Vans by the closet door that I’d seen him wear before.

I sank onto the bed, not sure why this was where I’d chosen to flee. I should’ve left entirely. But when a knock sounded at the door and my heart stuttered, I knew that I hadn’t wanted to leave. I knew I desperately wanted to talk to him.

“Wren,” Asher said in a husky voice through the door. “Can I come in?”

I opened the door.

He stood in the hall looking…amazing. He looked amazing. His hair had just the right amount of body tonight and it fell perfectly across his forehead. His green T-shirt made his eyes pop and they looked bright and sad all at once.

My heart was beating in my ears, making it hard to hear. I opened the door wider and he came inside.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”

My eyes stung with held-back tears. “I trusted you and I don’t trust anybody.”

His eyes were shiny too. “I know. There’s really no excuse for it. I didn’t know you back then, but I thought you were cool and fun and I wasn’t thinking about what would happen to that video online. I seriously thought it would get twenty views like all our other videos. I hadn’t been paying attention to it and didn’t realize. Dale gets all the notifications. I just do the editing and…I’m sorry.”

I pressed my knuckles below my nose, willing the tears to stay locked away. “And when Elinor almost told me about it on the beach? You didn’t think about it then?” That’s what had happened that day. She hadn’t been confused because she was his catfish; she was confused because she’d seen me on TikTok.

“She follows Dale,” Asher said. “I thought she was one of the twenty views we’d gotten. And I know her, she likes to stir things up. I just thought she was going to be mean about it. I should’ve told you. I have no good excuse. I just should’ve told you.”

Why did my entire soul want to forgive him just like that? “And tonight? Clearing the pool area for a video? More attempts to go viral?”

“Sort of. But it was for you.”

“For me?”

“I was going to record an apology to post online. I wanted people to understand that we’re the bad guys, not you.” Asher smiled a sad smile. “You were only trying to help me. It’s honestly the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“I want to believe you,” I said.

“But you can’t?” he asked.

“Why post an apology video during Dale’s birthday party? It’s loud and noisy and full of—”

“People,” he said. “People who will share it with other people. I want every person who saw the first ones to see this one.”

“Quite the marketing genius,” I said.

“My parents would be proud,” he returned in a low, sarcastic voice.

“If you think I need some huge viral apology, maybe you don’t really know me. I thought you knew I didn’t like all my business online. I think that”—I nodded toward the backyard—“was for you. To makeyourselffeel better.”

He was quiet for a moment as if analyzing my statement. “What doyouneed?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? I wished I knew. I wished I could sayJust hug me and it will all be better.A few tears finally escaped. “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I guess I need time.”

Asher lifted his glasses and swiped a palm across his right eye. “I can give you that.”

Zoey poked her head in my room. “Want to watch a movie?”

It had been a few days since the party, and maybe our dad had told her I needed cheering up. I had been extra mopey around the house.