Chapter 3: The Morning After

I woke up in Chase Carter’s bed, my whole body aching.

The faint city hum drifted in through an open window, and his cologne—fresh, clean, undeniably masculine—clung to the pillow beneath my cheek. I blinked, squinting at the shadows on the ceiling, confusion settling in like a hangover.

Staring at the ceiling, it took a while for my mind to catch up.

Then, all at once, the chaotic memories from last night crashed back into place.

I vaguely remembered someone whispering, "Sweetheart, don’t cry."

And some other, truly mortifying things.

I covered my ears, trying to block out the voices echoing in my mind.

But I couldn’t.

Even worse, the person beside me noticed I was moving and instinctively tightened his arms around me.

I was pressed into his chest. I could feel his heartbeat, steady and unaware, while mine hammered like it wanted to break free.

His voice was thick with sleep: "Babe, you’re awake?"

I held my breath, not daring to look up.

What if he realized who I was?

Chase has a girlfriend. He said so himself.

Last weekend, when we went home for dinner, Mom and Dad were talking about the Johnson family’s grandson’s first birthday party. The topic drifted, as it always did, to marriage.

Naturally, they started with the oldest.

Mom was concerned: "Chase is already twenty-five. Is there a girl you like?"

We’d just finished eating and were lounging in the living room.

I was sprawled on the couch playing a Nintendo Switch, Dad was hugging Mom—old married couple, not the least bit shy in front of us.

Chase answered, "Yeah."

I had just cleared a level in my game, and during the cutscene, I looked at Chase, full of curiosity.

My brother is handsome, has a good temper, and comes from a great family.

He’s had girls chasing after him since we were kids.

He never liked any of them.

The Carter family didn’t need to arrange marriages, and those girls with their own agendas all failed.

So, who did he fall for?

I blinked at him: "Bro, who is it? Do I know her?"

He glanced at me, but didn’t answer.

I didn’t give up and kept pestering him: "Who? Who? Who’s your girlfriend? How did you keep it a secret for so long?"

Chase suddenly got annoyed. He scoffed, "Who my girlfriend is has nothing to do with you."

I touched my nose.

Seriously, Mom and Dad pressure him to get married and he takes it out on me. I’m the scapegoat.

Siblings really do grow apart as they get older. He won’t even tell me if he has a girlfriend.

But let’s not worry about who the girlfriend is right now.

The real problem is, Chase’s hands are anything but well-behaved.

Buried in his arms, I didn’t dare move a muscle.

From this angle, he couldn’t see my face.

His voice was lazy with sleep: "Babe, it’s still early."

What does he mean, ‘it’s still early’?

I froze. He must think I’m his girlfriend.

Are he and his girlfriend this clingy every day?

If I look up, I’m doomed.

He hasn’t realized it yet.

Maybe because I didn’t say anything, he assumed I agreed.

Just as he was about to prop himself up and look at me—

I had no choice but to quickly roll over and bury my head in the pillow.

"Hmm?" he made a confused sound, then let out a low chuckle. "You like it this way?"

He leaned closer.

"Babe, call me brother."

Oh God! Don’t say that!

What is wrong with you couples, seriously.

My heart hammered so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I pressed my face deeper into the pillow, praying for the earth to just open up and swallow me. I could hear his breath, warm against my neck, and wondered how everything in my world had spun out so completely, irreversibly, off its axis.