Page 30 of The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain

The horseback riding group all has blissful smiles on their faces, basking in fake story of true love reunited.

All except one.

“Jamie—” I start, not caring who is listening, not even knowing what I’m going to say, exactly. Just knowing I need to set the record straight.

But Jamie ignores me. He stands and turns toward Kaia. “I’ll put the tack away and rub him down.” His face is placid, except for a telltale twitch in his jaw muscle.

Kaia nods, though she’s clearly taken aback, and I realize Jamie is leaving. He walks over to his horse, unties it, and a few seconds later, he’s disappeared back down the trail.

Everyone else at the table goes back to their meal, chatting happily about how beautiful the resort is and how today’s weather couldn’t be more perfect and how they can’t wait for Friday’s lunar eclipse. But I’m boiling with rage.

“What the frick , Seb?” I hiss.

“What?” He’s looking at me wide-eyed, the picture of innocence.

But after a few moments on the receiving end of my most withering glare, he acquiesces.

“Okay, fine. I’m sorry. I know that was kind of a dick move.

I just got carried away. You know, remembering…

” He lets his gaze drift toward the waterfall, his expression uncharacteristically contemplative.

The corners of his mouth, which are usually poised to tip up into a smile at any moment, are cast downward. He looks almost melancholy.

It’s such a strange, unsettling sight that something inside me softens. How is he supposed to know why I’m so upset, when I’ve been lying to everyone, him included?

“Seb…” He’s still watching the waterfall and doesn’t turn when I say his name, so I speak to his profile—boyish nose and golden stubble on his chin.

“That story you told. About that phone call…” A wild thought has come over me as I watch this subdued version of Seb, and suddenly, I have to know. “Was that really how you felt?”

“About what?” His eyes flash back to mine.

“You know, about thinking that call meant things weren’t over between us or whatever.”

There’s a half-second pause, then Seb shrugs, a nonchalant smile forming on his lips. “Nah. Of course not. That was just for the performance. And okay, I did want to rile Jimmy up a bit.”

“ Jamie ,” I correct, automatically.

“He just looked so smug, didn’t you think? Pulling up on his literal steed? I mean, come on.” Sebastian rolls his eyes, but there’s no real malice in it.

“Okay, good,” I say. “I just wanted to make sure. I didn’t want you thinking that I walked out on my wedding because of you or anything.”

“Didn’t think you did.” His eyes are back on the waterfall.

The rest of our group has finished their lunch and are now walking toward the natural pool, Hank and Elliot rolling up their pants to wade into the cool water, Harriet whipping off her caftan to reveal a spangled bathing suit underneath while Genevieve and Kaia look on, amused.

“If it’s any consolation,” Seb adds, without meeting my eyes, “Mr. Tall, Dark, and Stick-Up-His-Ass is clearly not over you.”

I snort out a derisive laugh, but inside my chest, my heart has started pounding ferociously.

“I don’t think that’s true,” I say quietly.

Because as much as I wish it were, the fact is, Jamie is here with someone else.

And besides, too much time has gone by. Too much hurt and miscommunication.

Jamie made that quite clear when he stormed off just now instead of letting me explain.

It would be foolish to think we could just wipe the slate clean and pick up where we left off before everything went wrong.

“Jamie’s moved on,” I tell Seb. “And so have I.”

“Come on, Sybil.” Seb’s giving me that look again that’s half pitying, half annoyed. “I know you’re not stupid. The guy’s clearly jealous. Even Lo could see it, couldn’t you, girl?” he calls toward my tied-up horse.

I let the word sit in the air for a moment.

Jealous. I think of Jamie’s heated glare that first day at the pool when he learned I was supposedly vacationing with a boyfriend.

Of the harsh words he spit out about my “squid man” on our hike.

His clenched jaw meeting Sebastian in the lobby this morning.

If he wasn’t jealous, he sure was pulling off a very convincing performance of the emotion.

“Maybe so,” I admit to Seb, “but it doesn’t mean anything. That’s just, like, classic macho guy stuff.”

“‘Guy stuff’?” Seb asks.

“Yeah, you know, ‘Grog want girl,’” I say, adopting a gruff caveman voice. “Actually, Grog do not want girl, but do not want any other Grogs to have girl.”

Seb lets out an easy laugh, then rolls his eyes at me affectionately. “Please tell me we men don’t sound like that.”

“Well, you don’t,” I say with a friendly smile. “Only the jealous Neanderthal assholes do.”

“And you really think that’s Jamie in this scenario?” Seb raises an eyebrow at me. “That his storming off just now was nothing deeper than a base, primal instinct?”

“Seb…” I draw out his name, pleading with my eyes for him to drop it. “Look, I really don’t need someone to psychoanalyze the situation right now. What I need is a drinking buddy. Okay?”

“Whatever you say, Sybil.” Seb’s arm comes around my shoulder again, and I let myself lean into the crook of his neck. “Whatever you say.”