The Causal Agreement: A Hundred Favors

ing in her vision. She stumbled out

va

ve been waiting for her. He got out, his face etched with con

arm, but she flinch

sted gently. "Let me take

than she intended. "I have to wait. He

Ava, this isn't worth it. Whatever this 'debt' is

it wasn't about loyalty to Ethan, but about her own survi

nd a bench across the street from Ethan's office and sat down t

ky darkened. Her ph

uilding. It wasn't Ethan's. A man in a suit got out. I

s tone professional and cold. "He's occupie

za. Ava's sto

r discomfort. "A grand romantic gesture. He asked me to inform you that he will hav

t back in his ca

at the Grand Plaza. She knew because she had helped Et

fill it with a thousand white roses, and have a string quartet play under the stars. It wa

laza. She didn't go up. She just stood across the street, lo

above the buil

perfect formation, lighting up to spell out a message again

gned, the one she had helped him cod

t was Ethan. "Rooft

s opened, the scene was exactly as she had imagined. White roses everywhere. The soft me

hey saw her. Ethan's fa

stand?" He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging in. "You're ruining the mome

like honey, but her eyes were sharp and cold as sh

g against the stone floor. She looked at a per

ttle pout. She looked at Ethan, then back a

don't you get on your hands and knees and bring me

ull of adoration. Then he looked at

oom for argument. The force of the wish, the agreemen

she'd had a fever. Ethan had stayed up with her, putting cool cloths on her forehead and making her soup.

rent man. Or maybe, the man was always this o