Chapter 1

“Happy Birthday, princess!” my boyfriend screamed as I pushed open the door to the main entrance of his new house, my suitcase thumping in behind me.

Confetti shot out from a cannon, and I gasped. It rained down in shiny shades of gold, pink, and blue—all over me. The affair was over almost as quickly as it started, and Ben dumped the empty canister onto a plush sofa.

“Wow,” I said, taking in his apartment.

People were everywhere, all wearing huge smiles—many of Ben’s friends and Hannah, my best friend.

His last apartment had been big, but this one was bigger, perched on the middle floor of Dupont. When he asked me to move in, I accepted. We’d been dating for two years, and maybe ... a proposal was on the way.

“Come here, my love.” Ben pulled me into a tight hug. The scent of his cologne filled my nose, and emotion clogged my throat.

My birthday was three days ago, and coincidentally, the same day as my secretary interview. Ben had put in a good word for me at his father’s company—Hayes Industries.

“You didn’t have to do all this, Ben.”

“Don’t be silly.” He squeezed me tighter before releasing me. “We can still celebrate, even if we missed the actual date.”

“Still,” I sniffed.

“There she is—my favorite person in the whole world,” Hannah said, air-kissing my cheeks.

I laughed, my chest filled with joy. As a child, I didn’t get many parties or even presents. Both on my birthday or even Christmas. “I can’t believe you kept this from me!”

“It was a surprise,” Ben said, handing me a cupcake still in its wrapper.

I knew it instantly—the same one he bought every year: soft, deep blueberry cake. My favorite. A lit candle was pierced through the center.

Three days late or not, Ben had turned my birthday into an event.

We huddled together over it. The candle melted between us, its small flame lighting both our faces.