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Returning to the bustling sidewalk, Josh rambled on about diamond clarity and color grades, but Riley wasn’t listening.

Showing up unannounced with a massive bouquet of flowers…

Splurging on breakfast in a fancy hotel…

He wants to surprise Mom with the ring…

Lovely gestures…but they’re not selfless acts of love. They’re manipulative strategies to keep me complacent, to get me to do what HE wants. This is a losing battle. I’m swimming against a riptide. As the reality of his actions sank in, Riley’s throat closed, her stunted breaths making her woozy, unstable. She stopped, frozen in place.

Josh turned around. “Babe?”

“I-I can’t.” A tornado of fear and doubt whirled in her stomach, tearing apart everything she had planned.

He looked confused. “Can’t…?”

It was like Riley had pulled a thread and everything started to unravel. “I can’t do this. The ring…” Her vision began to blur. I can’t look Mom in the eye wearing a $25,000 lie on my finger.

“You okay, Rye? You wanna go another time?”

I’m sorry, Mom. I can’t pretend, I can’t do this…even if…if it means…oh, God! A sour taste rose in her tight throat. “Josh, I’m calling off the engagement.”

“What?” His jaw dropped. “Babe, I know you’re upset about Vegas but—”

“It’s more than that.” Her words had a life of their own, each one fighting to be heard and tearing her heart in two for her mom, for herself. “I don’t want to move to Minnesota. I don’t want to give up my dream. I’ve worked too hard—”

“Babe, we’ll talk about the job and everything will be fine. We’ll work all that out—”

“It’s not enough. I don’t…” She bowed her head, holding back, but her truth had its own momentum and wouldn’t be silenced—not anymore. Grabbing fistfuls of her hair, Riley met his confused stare. “I don’t love you anymore.” The words, once released, didn’t make her feel any better. She had escaped one cage but wandered into another—alone with Maggie.

His jaw clenched like her words had smacked him across the face. “Jesus. Are you fucking kidding me? Where’s this coming from?”

“I’ve felt it…for a while. We’ve been drifting apart, arguing—you know we have.”

“Yeah, because we’re apart all the time—that’s the problem! Who wouldn’t start to have doubts? But once we’re together again, it’ll be just like old times.”

Shaking her head, her fingers rubbed her brow. “The distance isn’t just physical. It’s emotional.”

“What?” His eyes narrowed. “There’s someone else?”

“No…I mean, yes.” She laid her hand over her heart. “Not a guy, Josh—me. I need to be honest with myself. I’ve been pretending everything’s fine for months now, pretending us getting married is what I want, but…it’s what you want.” She gulped a breath. “I’m exhausted and worried about Mom, stressed about life after graduation. So many things are changing all at once. I guess that’s part of growing up, but I feel like I’m going to lose it at any second.”

“I know things are scary, and I’ll help you through it. I know I haven’t been there for you as much as I should’ve, but I’ll try harder.” He clasped her hand. “I will. I really will.”

She shook her head. “Josh, we want different things in different cities. And you deserve to be with someone who loves you. I’m sorry, but that’s not me anymore.” She pried her hand away, hiding it in a pocket, out of reach.

“Look, let’s talk about this at your place…”

I know how this will go. He’ll stroke my hair, talk about when Dad left, how he was there for me—but that was then, and this is now. So much has changed and it’s too late to go back! Riley met his pained gaze. “Josh…”

“Forget the engagement.” He nodded quickly. “We can take it slow, just date…”

I never wanted to hurt him. “No, Josh! Please…it’s over.”

Those two words woke him up like smelling salts at the ice rink. Blinking, he swallowed slowly, the realization sinking in. “Wow…so you…there’s nothing I can say to change your mind, is there…”

She fought back tears. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m just…” Josh cleared his throat and looked away, his hand skimming his beard. “Well, I’ll…need to grab my shit from yours, then.”