Chapter 1

"Aria, can you sit down for a second?"

 Aria looked up from her phone.

 Her dad stood in the kitchen doorway, hands in his pockets. He had that look. The one before bad news.

 "What did you do," she said.

 "Nothing. I just want to talk to you about something."

 She set her phone down.

 "Okay."

 He sat across from her. Looked at the table, then at her.

 "You remember Victoria."

 It wasn't really a question. Aria's stomach dropped anyway.

 Of course she remembered Victoria. The woman from his work dinners. The one who laughed too easily at his jokes. The one Aria had quietly noticed months ago and never said anything about, because saying something would make it real.

 "The one from your office thing," Aria said carefully.

 "Yeah."

 He let out a breath.

 "We've actually been together for a while now. Three years."

 "Three years?"

 "I wanted to wait. Until things felt easier for you."

 He reached toward her hand, then pulled back.

 "I should have told you sooner. I know that."

 Three years.

 Three years of family dinners that were supposed to be just the two of them. Movie nights. Sunday pancakes. All while he was somewhere else, with someone else, building a whole different life she knew nothing about.

 She hated that it hurt more than she expected.

 "Okay," Aria said, voice steady. "So why tell me now?"

 He hesitated.

 That hesitation told her everything before he even said it.

 "We're getting married."

 The kitchen went quiet.

 "And," he kept going, faster now, "she has a son. Same age as you. Senior year too. Her work is in LA, so we're moving. All of us."

 Aria laughed. It wasn't a real laugh.

 "You're joking."

 "Aria—"

 "We just got settled here. You said we weren't moving again. You said this was it."

 "I know what I said."

 "Then why are you doing this?"

 "Because I love her."

 He said it simply, like that was the whole answer.

 "And I know you'll love her too, once you get to know her. She's wonderful. And her son—"

 "I don't care about her son."

 "Aria."

 "No."

 She stood up too fast. The chair scraped the floor.

 "I have a life here. Friends. Dance. I have—"

 "You'll make new friends. New dance team. It's LA."

 "That's not the point."

 He stood too. Put a hand on her shoulder, gentle, the way he used to when she was small and scared of thunder.

 "I know this is a lot," he said. "I know it's not fair. Just give her a chance. Okay?"

 Aria stared at his hand on her shoulder.

 Three years of secrets, just sitting there between them.

 "When do we move," she said finally.

 "Three weeks."

 "Three weeks?"

 "I know."

 "Dad."

 "I know, Aria."

 He squeezed her shoulder, then let go.

 "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner. I was scared telling you would change things."

 "It already changed," she said quietly. "You just didn't tell me until now."

 He didn't have an answer for that. She didn't expect one.

 She walked past him, down the hall, into her room. Closed the door — not slammed, just closed — and stood with her back against it, breathing.

 Three weeks.

 Three weeks to pack up an entire life. Say goodbye to her school, her friends, the dance studio she had been in since she was twelve.

 She sat at her desk and pulled her laptop toward her.

 Victoria Hollis.

 Professional photos. An interior design portfolio. A beautiful house in Los Angeles with clean lines and big windows.

 Then, a few photos down — a family event. Victoria in a green dress, laughing at something off camera.

 And beside her, a guy.

 Tall. Dark hair, slightly messy in a way that looked effortless. An easy grin, the kind that probably worked on everyone. One arm slung loose around his mom's shoulders like he owned the room.

 Cayden Hollis, the caption said. So proud of my boy — varsity captain, straight A's, and somehow still humble. Mostly.

 Aria stared at the photo.

 Senior year. Same age. New school, new house, new brother.

 She zoomed in, just a little.

 He looked like the type of guy who never had to try. The type who walked into a room and the room just rearranged itself around him.

 She closed the laptop.

 "Great," she muttered. "Can't wait."

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