Chapter 1: The Seat That Wasn't Mine

The day before the Fourth of July, I dragged my suitcase downstairs.

My fiancé, Callum Reid, and I were supposed to drive back to his hometown in Maine. Our families had been planning this engagement party for months.

I had turned down my biggest client. Pulled an all-nighter to finish a proposal. All just to squeeze out a week off for the holiday.

Mom started prepping the smoked brisket three days in advance. She rubbed in the spices over and over, slow-smoking it at a low temperature. She wanted to leave a flawless impression on Callum's family.

The SUV was parked outside. The trunk was wide open. It was packed to the brim with camera gear.

I did a quick headcount. Callum. His childhood best friend, Miles. Miles's girlfriend, Willa. Callum's business partner, Delaney Cross. Delaney's cat. Two massive cases of photography equipment.

A seven-seater SUV. Not a single spot was left for me.

He rolled down the window.

"Maren, be a good girl and take the Amtrak. I already checked. There are plenty of tickets left."

"Delaney brought all her gear to shoot our engagement short film. We can't have her crammed in there."

A soft meow came from Delaney's arms. The cat carrier was sitting right in my seat.

"Alright. Drive safe."

He looked incredibly pleased.

"That's my girl. I knew you'd be reasonable."

The SUV pulled away. The bass from the stereo shook the street.

I dragged my suitcase back upstairs. Dug out the car purchase contract.

The name on the title was Maren Vale.

The down payment was eighteen grand. I paid fifteen of it.

The monthly payments for the last two years and eight months came straight out of my debit card.

Callum covered maintenance and gas. So he always drove it.

I pulled out the insurance policy and payment records. Slapped them down next to the contract.

Delaney had been in the passenger seat. Miles and Willa took the captain's chairs in the second row. The cat carrier was strapped between them.

The third row could easily fit people. But it had been folded down in advance to fit two equipment cases.

The doorbell rang. Mom stood outside, holding an insulated cooler bag.

She spotted my untouched suitcase by the entryway. The smile dropped from her face.

"Why are you still here?"

"Did you forget something? Is Callum waiting downstairs?"

I stepped aside to let her in. Didn't take the cooler bag.

"The car already left."

Mom froze. She set the bag down slowly.

"Did work call you in last minute?"

"No. They didn't save a seat for me."

She stared at the top of the bag. Her fingers curled inward.

"Is the equipment that fragile? Are they worried it'll break on the road?"

"Besides, Delaney is coming all this way to shoot your video. She means well."

I looked at the contract on the table.

"Mom, it's my car."

Seven years ago, Callum couldn't afford his first camera. I dragged myself through every flea market with him to compare prices.

That winter, he drove me to meet a client in his beat-up sedan with a busted heater. His fingers were stiff from the cold, but he shoved his only pair of gloves into my hands.

When he finally bought this SUV, he patted the passenger seat. Swore it would always be mine.

Turns out, "always" had an expiration date.

A voice note popped up from Callum.

"Maren, check the second drawer in the study. See if there's another pack of SD cards."

"Delaney decided to add some B-roll along the drive. I don't want to run out of storage."

I typed back.

"Did it ever cross your mind to leave one equipment case behind? To make room for me?"

A moment later, he sent another voice note. Wind and loud music blasted in the background.

"I said, every piece of gear is essential. If we're missing something on set, it's going to be a total mess. That holds up the entire crew."

"And the cat?"

"It's the holiday weekend. Every boarding place is booked solid. You know that."

"If she panics and gets sick from the stress, who's responsible?"

"You're a grown woman. Taking the train is the most logical solution."

His tone was completely level. To him, this was just a business proposal with the costs neatly calculated.

"Callum, I'm the one getting engaged."

"I'm not just extra baggage you can cut from your production schedule."

"I know."

His voice softened.

"I messed up the logistics this time. I owe you one."

"I'll book you on the earliest train tomorrow. Once you get to Portland, I'll pick you up from the station myself."

"Don't ruin the engagement over a single seat. Okay?"

That soft "okay" made me go quiet.

Callum rarely used that gentle tone.

He was the man who used to wait outside my office building until 2 a.m. when I worked late. The man who handled all the endless hospital paperwork when my dad was sick.

That kindness was real.

But right now, the distance between us felt so vast. I suddenly couldn't tell which version of him was the real one.

"He admitted he was wrong. He's picking you up from the station. He obviously cares about you."

Mom tried to soothe things.

"An engagement is a big deal. Don't throw it away over a car ride."

My hand was already reaching for my suitcase.

Right then, a notification popped up. The studio's social media account just posted an update.

It was a fifteen-second teaser. The camera panned from the passenger seat over to Callum.

The highway lights reflected off his profile. A hand wearing a red bracelet reached into the frame, holding a water bottle to his lips.

Half an hour ago, that same red bracelet had been draped over the cat carrier in Delaney's lap.

The caption was short.

Heading home for the Fourth of July with the most important person.

Someone commented below.

"Is Callum taking his girlfriend home to pop the question?"

The studio account replied with a red heart.

I let go of my suitcase. Took a screenshot and sent it to Callum.

"You said you'd pick me up from the station."

"So who exactly is sitting in my seat, going home as your fiancée?"