a ringing alarm: "Thirty-six hours. Address her three deepest regrets. Or

ping with him, marryi

that changing the name to Ryan' s, if discovered at the right moment, would be enough to derail

dled that one, or at

door of the motel room, car keys

hat?" she called bac

n said, grabbing

t Ethan would have acted – a little hes

said, "You know, Chloe, after this is

look. "A surprise? What kind of surprise? If it' s another l

aid quickly. "Something... someth

ret. He had a vague plan forming, something inv

ight. Look, let' s just get through

he passenger side. The car smelled faintly of old coffee and her lavend

The set of her jaw, the slight frown. She was so unh

s coming out before he could stop t

t. "Sure you do, Ethan. Everyone wants me to be

than. This Ethan, the one burdened with foreknowledge and grief, only wanted her to live

a while. The sun climbed h

something about a meteor shower expect

line. He' d been excited, had tried to get Chloe to go

ust? Ryan' s band has a gig tonight. T

ig. He' d stayed home, f

ed to her feeling that he never understood her passio

her voice startling h

, Eth

eah

about on the radio," she said, not looking

d. "Uh, yeah,

ent. "I don' t know. Ryan' s gig got cancelled.

er of something. Hope?

elopement thing... done quickly, and if we' re back in town tonight, and

part, as if embarras

sting they do something he liked? Something

ked, trying to keep the s

if I' m bored. And it' s not like I' d enjoy it. But it beats sitting at

ling a tiny bit guilty about how cold she' d been

playing on his lips. "If we' re b

heme of his monumental task, it felt like a tiny personal wish, a m

before he had to ensu