My Ex’s Birthday Party, My New Man

It was my third year engaged to Ethan Hayes.

Then his high school sweetheart, the one who got away, came back to town.

Everyone was buzzing, wondering if he'd pick the new girl or the old flame.

He pretty much made his choice clear by throwing a big birthday bash for her, like, right under my nose.

With him, I was always the second choice.

So, I dumped his ass and booked a study abroad program.

Then one night, Ethan, drunk off his face, came banging on my door, practically begging with his eyes all red.

The guy who opened the door? Turns out it was notorious bad-boy, Luke Masters, shirtless with some fresh-looking hickeys on his collarbone.

Luke looked down at Ethan, slow and deliberate, and drawled, “Knockin’ on my girl’s door at this hour? You got a death wish, buddy?”

1

My third engagement anniversary with Ethan rolled around, and he just ghosted me for our date night.

Phone calls went straight to voicemail, texts went unanswered—the guy straight-up vanished.

I only found out what was up when my bestie, Chloe, texted me the news.

His “one who got away” was back from overseas.

The news was everywhere: photos of his ex at the airport, clutching a bouquet of vibrant red roses, looking all bashful at him.

Ethan, on the other hand, was just dripping with heart-eyed devotion.

I packed my things, totally deadpan, and went home.

Chloe kept trying to comfort me, but I was weirdly calm, like I couldn’t care less.

See, everyone we knew, even people across the whole darn city, were playing the guessing game.

Was Ethan going to pick me, his fiancé of three years, or his old flame, the girl he was supposedly still head-over-heels for?

The next day, things were pretty obvious.

Ethan was throwing a huge birthday party for his ex.

The whole town was shaking their heads, whispering about how that ex-girlfriend magic was powerful enough to make even Mr. Big Shot lose his mind.

I looked at my phone. Since last night, not a single call, not even a text trying to explain.

If he wasn't gonna explain things, I'd go get the explanation myself.

Chloe insisted on a makeover – a new killer outfit and some salon magic. She wanted me to show up at that party and burn the place down.

Seven p.m., the biggest hotel in town was packed, champagne flowing, music pumping. You’d think it was a wedding reception or something.

It was ridiculous.

My own engagement party wasn’t half as extravagant as this birthday do.

The ex, Melissa “Missy” Sterling, was a musician, long hair, flowy white dress, a total sweetheart type. I guess a lot of guys go for that.

She was standing there right next to Ethan, acting all couple-y, looking like they were right out of a fairy tale.

Ethan, who’s basically running the family empire now, was hot, no doubt about it. Before college, he was kind of a party boy, always out drinking and causing trouble.

Then he fell hard for Missy in college, and he supposedly became this reformed player, completely devoted to her.

But Missy wanted to study overseas, the...