Chapter 1

My boyfriend and I had planned to fly to LA to watch our favorite MLB team play at home.

But on the day we were supposed to leave, I waited at the airport for three hours.

He never showed.

It wasn't until after dark that he finally called.

“Sorry, Audrey. I forgot to tell you. Natalie found out we were taking engagement photos and got so excited she couldn't sleep. She insisted I fly out with her early to scout locations.”

“You can make it here on your own, right? The three of us will meet at the stadium entrance tomorrow.”

I stood frozen.

Natalie Brooks was my best friend. She had watched Derek Sinclair and me go from high school sweethearts to planning our wedding, and always called herself our biggest supporter.

Yet with one casual “fly out early,” Derek had left me, his bride-to-be, behind at the airport.

“You two have fun.” I smiled faintly. “I suddenly don't feel like going anymore.”

The next day, I saw Natalie's latest post.

She had uploaded a photo of herself with Ryan Kane, my favorite player.

The caption read: “Thanks to Derek for pulling strings to get me this photo. Location scouting complete. The things I do for my best friend!”

I calmly liked the post. Then I called the wedding planner and canceled the wedding we were supposed to have in two weeks.

Natalie never stopped talking about how much she cared about my happiness, yet she had already taken the trip and surprise meant for me.

I was done sharing this relationship with a third person.

Chapter 1

The wedding was three days away when Derek and Natalie returned to New York.

I was at the Sinclair house, setting up a new blood glucose monitor for Derek's mother, Elaine.

Natalie walked in with a smile and handed out souvenirs to everyone.

"Mr. Sinclair, I got you the whiskey-filled chocolates you love. Mrs. Sinclair, these are those California pastries you mentioned last time."

She'd even chosen the wrapping colors to suit the individual tastes of Robert and Elaine.

Elaine beamed.

"Natalie always remembers us, even when she's on vacation."

I glanced down at the monitor.

Elaine had diabetes. Her doctor had repeatedly told her to watch her sugar intake.

She'd called me over to help set up the device. I'd spent the entire afternoon learning how it worked. She hadn't thanked me once.

Natalie brought back chocolates Elaine couldn't eat, and Elaine still saw the gesture as thoughtful.

This wasn't the first time.

Two years ago, when Natalie first learned that Derek's parents didn't care for me, she'd hugged me and said, "You just have to make everything about facts. You don't know how to charm people. Bring me along next time. I'll put on a good show for you so they know the people around you are worth knowing too."

I'd treated her like the closest person in my life. I really did bring her to a Sinclair family dinner.

At first, Robert and Elaine couldn't even remember her name.

But over the course of a single meal, Natalie learned which vintages Robert collected, found out Elaine had a charity auction the following week, and gave them her number, offering to help Elaine shop for a gown.

During dinner, Elaine reached for another glass of dessert wine.

I saw that Elaine had just taken her diabetes medication, so I moved the bottle away.

"Elaine, your doctor said you shouldn't have any more."

Elaine's face darkened instantly. She thought I was lecturing her in front of a guest.

Natalie laughed and looped her arm through Elaine's.

"Mrs. Sinclair, Audrey just worries about you too much. She doesn't know how to say it gently. I'll have one with you. Just one more glass won't hurt."

After dinner, Natalie texted me:

“See? I told you I could help. Your in-laws just don't know you well enough yet. I'll come by more often and win them over for you.”

I actually thanked her for it.

Derek had been pleased.

"Natalie knows how to handle people, and she genuinely wants to help you. With her talking to my parents on your behalf, they'll come around."

After that, Elaine started inviting Natalie out shopping, just the two of them.

Soon, Natalie was invited to Sinclair family gatherings without me even asking.

Every time I said I was uncomfortable, Derek would remind me, "She's your best friend, and she's trying to help. Don't overthink it."

Natalie's laugh pulled me back to the present. She walked up to me and held out a dark blue pinstripe jersey.

"Audrey, this is your favorite team. I went to so many stores to find this."

The logo on the chest belonged to the New York Empire.

My grandfather had rooted for the Blue Waves since he was young, and I'd spent more than a decade wearing their jerseys with him.

Natalie had watched a lot of games with me.

How could she not know?

I didn't take it. "I don't like them. Keep it."

Derek stepped in immediately.

"Natalie spent all afternoon looking for a gift for you. There are so many teams. Getting one wrong is perfectly normal. Don't embarrass her."

I looked up at him.

He'd remembered to pull strings so Natalie could get a photo with Ryan Kane.

But he couldn't remember which team I supported.

Natalie's eyes welled up.

"I'm sorry, Audrey. I've been so busy helping with your wedding that my head's been all over the place. I was just trying to make you happy."

Elaine pulled her close.

"Sweetheart, you've done so much for them. She'd never blame you."

Then she turned to me.

"Audrey, you're too direct. You don't know how to soften things. Once you're part of this family, you'll need Natalie to teach you a thing or two."

As if Natalie were the one who truly understood this family.

I clenched my fists and spoke. "About the wedding. I've already—"

"Ow!"

Natalie cut her finger on the packaging as she opened a souvenir.

Derek's expression changed. He rushed to find the first aid kit.

Robert and Elaine crowded around her.

"Quick, clean it. Don't let it scar."

Tears slid down Natalie's face, but she still made a point of looking at me.

"Audrey, were you about to say something about the wedding? It's all my fault. I've held you guys up again."

She said the word "again" very softly.

Elaine reassured her at once. "When have you ever held them up? You've been running around doing everything for them. Audrey should be grateful."

Derek agreed. "The wedding stuff can wait. Let's take care of your cut first."

I stood behind them, and suddenly I didn't want to say it anymore.

This was how it had always been.

The moment Natalie softened her voice, whatever I was saying, whatever I needed, could wait.

Chapter 2

I left the Sinclair house alone.

Derek didn't call until that evening.

"What were you trying to say this afternoon?"

"Nothing."

I paused, then asked anyway. "Derek, don't you think Natalie's been crossing the line?"

"Our trip, the wedding, the apartment after the wedding. She has to be involved in everything. She's my friend, not a third person in our relationship."

Two seconds of silence, then he laughed.

"So that's what this is about."

"Natalie says the same thing every day: 'You two are perfect together.' If she had ulterior motives, would she really push us together this hard?"

"You're not great with my parents, and she happens to be charming. She keeps them happy for you. Isn't that doing you a favor?"

I stared at the shop window across the street.

He'd never once asked whether I wanted Natalie speaking on my behalf.

Every time I tried to express something honestly, the Sinclairs found me unlikable.

Natalie would wrap the same words in a smile and a sweet voice, and they'd call her considerate.

The more she "performed" for me, the more they felt I fell short of her in every way.

Derek was still talking. "After the wedding, I'll have her move out of the apartment. Stop making a fuss over your own best friend."

When the apartment was finished, Natalie had said she wanted to test the layout for us, just two nights.

Two nights turned into a week.

She put her skincare in my bathroom, hung her clothes in my closet, and told Elaine, "I'm keeping an eye on things so Derek doesn't push Audrey around after the wedding."

She'd also created a wedding planning group chat.

The group was called "Audrey and Derek's Happily-Ever-After Squad."

When the planner asked what flowers I liked, Natalie answered first, saying I didn't go for anything showy, and picked white roses, her own favorite.

When the hotel sent the menu, she said I was too busy and told everyone to just go with her choices.

I deleted the changes she'd made. She joked in the group chat:

“The bride is taking this way too seriously! I just wanted to lighten her load. Don't hold it against her for not humoring her best friend.”

Everyone sent smiley faces, as if I were the one ruining the mood.

Eventually, Elaine started dropping by the apartment every other day to see Natalie.

I was the one who was supposed to live there. Instead, I'd become the unwelcome one.

"Oh, and," Derek continued, "Natalie wants to be the maid of honor and hold your bouquet during the ceremony. I already said yes."

"Derek, let's break up."

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

"Over a maid of honor?"

"If you don't want that, I'll talk to Natalie. Stop using a breakup to scare me."

"The wedding's in three days. Cool down, and then we'll talk."

He hung up.

The next day, a set of photos appeared in the family group chat.

Natalie was wearing my wedding dress, standing beside Derek in a tailored suit.

She had her arm linked through his, smiling like the real bride.

“It's such a shame Audrey couldn't make it to LA. This gorgeous dress was just sitting there, so as their number one supporter, I had to try it on and see how it looked on camera.”

Then she tagged me directly:

“Audrey won't mind, right? Everything I've done is to make your wedding even better.

The group chat erupted with compliments.”

Elaine wrote: “Natalie looks so elegant in it.”

Derek replied: “It really does fit her well.”

I messaged him privately, asking why he'd let Natalie wear my wedding dress.

He replied: “You two used to swap clothes all the time in college, didn't you? She's your best friend, not a stranger.”

I stared at those words for a long time.

In college, she'd borrowed an ordinary jacket.

Now she was wearing my one and only wedding dress, her arm linked through my fiancé's.

And he still used "you're best friends" to demand I give up my boundaries.

I stared at that message, my stomach turning.

She used our friendship as an excuse to wear my wedding dress and link arms with my fiancé.

And everyone was waiting for me to praise how dedicated she was.

If I minded, I'd be betraying her "good intentions."

My phone lit up.

My friend and colleague Rachel Torres texted:

“Got the Blue Waves tickets for the game in three days. If you want to go, Logan and I will come with you.”

I replied with one word:

“Okay.”

Chapter 3

That afternoon, Natalie showed up at the Sinclair house carrying a box of wedding favor bags.

"Audrey, I picked out all the candy and snacks myself. Try them. Don't let all my hard work go to waste."

Derek unwrapped a piece and held it to my lips.

"Natalie compared hundreds of recipes. She put more thought into this than either of us."

I took a small bite. A nutty flavor spread immediately.

"Are there peanuts in this?"

Natalie blinked.

"I added peanut crumble on purpose. You used to love nutty flavors, didn't you?"

I'd been allergic to peanuts since college.

Once, I'd accidentally eaten some at a dinner and Natalie had been the one who took me to the ER.

She knew better than anyone in the Sinclair family.

I spat it out, but red welts were already rising on my arms and my chest was tightening.

"Natalie, I'm allergic to peanuts."

Her tears fell instantly.

"I'm sorry, Audrey. I've been so focused on your wedding prep that I mixed up your allergies with Mrs. Sinclair's dietary restrictions."

She grabbed my hand.

"I really was just trying to help. Please don't end our friendship over this."

Elaine frowned.

"Natalie has been running around for you two for so long. She made one mistake, and she's already in tears. What's with the look on your face?"

Resigned, I set the ingredients list on the table.

"I'm not scolding her. I'm telling you I'm having an allergic reaction."

But Derek's face showed impatience.

"You always have to make everything about facts. Natalie is your best friend, not your vendor. She went out of her way to help us. Can't you comfort her first?"

"Besides, you're the one with the allergy, not the guests. Just don't eat it."

I looked at him, and something clicked.

Whether the facts mattered depended on who had made the mistake.

If it were me, they'd say I lacked social grace.

If it were Natalie, any mistake was just her being overly enthusiastic.

"The wedding has been canceled."

Derek froze, then assumed I was still venting from the argument.

"Audrey, fighting is one thing, but don't blow everything out of proportion. This is exactly why people find you hard to be around."

Before he could finish, Natalie somehow swayed on her feet and collapsed into his arms.

"Natalie!"

Derek scooped her up and rushed out the door. Robert and Elaine followed. Not one of them looked back.

Before the door shut, I heard Elaine ask urgently whether Natalie's blood sugar had dropped from all the wedding stress.

Natalie's weak voice answered, "As long as Audrey's wedding goes smoothly, I don't mind being a little tired."

By then, the itching had spread across my body. Red welts bloomed on my face.

A severe allergic reaction can kill. But not a single person asked about me.

They rushed out with Natalie, and I took myself to the ER.

Triage. IV medication. Observation.

When the nurse asked for my emergency contact, I hesitated, then gave her Derek's number.

She tried twice. No answer.

"Is there anyone else?"

I thought for a long time.

Natalie used to be the first person I would have called.

Now she was leaning against my fiancé.

"No," I said.

After the welts faded, I spotted them in the hallway.

Natalie just had low blood sugar. She was resting against Derek's shoulder, sipping juice.

Elaine had draped her jacket over Natalie's shoulders. Robert stood nearby, asking if she still felt dizzy.

Natalie saw me first.

"Audrey, what are you doing here too? Are you still upset with me?"

Only then did Derek notice the welts on my arms.

"You had a reaction?"

"Yeah."

He hesitated, then pressed a signed photo into my hand.

"Alright, I know you're mad. This was supposed to be a surprise, but here."

"I didn't forget to get you a gift. This is Aiden Cole's signed photo, the star of the New York Empire. So stop making a fuss."

I looked at the photo and felt nothing but exhaustion.

"My favorite player is Ryan Kane of the Blue Waves."

Natalie spoke up quietly. "Derek, Aiden Cole is my favorite player."

Derek's expression froze for a split second.

Then he rubbed his temples.

"Aren't all star players the same? Natalie's happy with whatever she gets. Why do you always have to be so picky?"

This time, I didn't bother explaining.

Just like the New York Empire and the LA Blue Waves weren't the same team.

Natalie and I weren't the same person.

I went back to the infusion area. They left the hospital with Natalie.

Half an hour later, Derek texted:

“Natalie wants something to eat to bring her blood sugar up. I'm taking her out. When your IV's done, get a ride home.”

Natalie sent a text too, along with a photo of the three of them together:

“Don't be mad, Audrey. Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair and Derek are just worried about me. I know you love me the most. You wouldn't really hold this against me.”

She was certain I'd forgive her.

Just as Derek was certain I'd never leave.