Hope turned over in the bed, the pillow under her wet hair soaked. Landon had fallen asleep quickly after his long day at work, slumbering soundly away beside her. She was just thinking that maybe she could fall asleep as the world got all fuzzy and warm when she saw a set of headlights shine across the hallway wall, just outside their ajar bedroom door. From this angle, the only way headlights could reach was if someone was pulling into the driveway.

Hope sat up, reaching for her phone. It could just be someone turning around in their driveway. But she had to be sure. She pulled up the app Josie had expertly installed, clicking through to the driveway camera.

Hope recognized that car. She slowly slid out of bed, making sure to tuck the blankets back down around Landon so he didn’t get cold. It wasn’t until she was out of their bedroom that she let her anger show on her face.

She whipped open the front door before Ryan even made it up the front steps. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” she hissed, launching herself forward and crossing her arms against the cold night air. 

“You changed your phone number,” Ryan said as if it was obvious.

“That’s the point!” Hope’s fingernails dug into her upper arms. “I don’t want to see you, Ryan! And I definitely don’t want you showing up on my porch at 2 a.m. while my husband - your brother - is just inside!” Her voice was getting higher and higher pitched, but she couldn’t believe Ryan was being so reckless.

“You can’t break up with me over the phone, Hope.” His voice was calm in contrast to hers. 

“Oh, I can,” she countered. “And I would have if there was anything to break.” She narrowed her eyes, more pitiful than angrily. “We were never together. There was nothing to break up.”

“At least give me an explanation, Hope.” His eyes pleaded with her. “Was Landon close to finding out? Was the guilt too much? Did you fall out of lo … whatever you felt for me? I just need to know.”

“I …” Hope’s eyes flickered all around the porch, refusing to look at him. “I like you, Ryan, I really do. But I hate who I become when I’m with you. I’m not a cheater.”

“Well you kind of are.”

Hope reached out and slapped a hand into his chest but laughed when she turned her head away. “I don’t want to be.”

“So get a divorce,” Ryan said. “People get them all the time.”

“I don’t want a divorce.” Hope leaned against the railing. “I want Landon, as my husband, and you, as … as my brother-in-law.”

“If that’s what you want …”

Hope nodded firmly. “It is.”

Ryan stepped forward, placing his hands innocently on her arms and pressing his lips to her forehead. “I’ll see you at Thanksgiving in … two years? Three?” 

“Funny.” Hope smiled humorlessly. She set her hand on the door knob. “Just … schedule it through Landon, okay?”