POV: Ava Ren
"Alex, it wasn't that serious!" I exclaimed, hands on my hips, standing in the middle of our ridiculously huge walk-in closet.
He was on the other side of the room, arms crossed, jaw sharp, eyes narrowed like I'd committed treason instead of saying hi to a university friend. "He was flirting."
"He was being friendly."
"Same thing."
I groaned, stomping one fluffy-socked foot on the carpet. "I've known him for two years! And you didn't have to drag me out of that café like we were fleeing a crime scene!"
"I was doing us a favor."
"Oh please. You looked like you were about to start swinging your black card."
We stared each other down. I had that familiar lump in my throat—the kind that meant I was trying so hard not to cry. But I wasn't going to cry. Not over this. Not today.
Ding-ding.
We both blinked. Then my phone started vibrating violently on the counter.
Incoming FaceTime from: Nai Nai & Grandma Lin
"Oh no."
"No," Alex deadpanned.
Too late. I answered. Because saying no to both of our grandmothers was more terrifying than whatever was going on between us.
"Hiiiiii babies!" they chorused in unison.
I plastered on my brightest, fakest, cheeriest smile. "Hi Nai Nai! Hi Grandma Lin!"
Alex muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a prayer.
"We want pictures!" Grandma Lin said. "You two were out shopping. Send us photos!"
"And take a selfie now," Nai Nai added. "We want to see your faces. Together."
"Now?"
"Yes! Chop chop!"
Alex was still standing across the room, face made of stone.
"Alex," I whispered through my teeth, "get over here."
"Pass."
"Please."
He stared. I gave him the eyes. The full sparkle-puppy-laser-eye treatment.
He sighed. Walked over. I grabbed his arm and yanked him down next to me.
"Smile," I said sweetly. "My angry husband."
He didn't.
So I kissed his cheek and took the picture while he was still processing it.
It came out perfect.