"Love doesn't necessarily care whether you like it. It can bring you enormous grief, but you would never trade it for any other experience."

—Piers Anthony

Three Years Ago

Thunder clapped against the sky and I pulled my jacket tighter around me. "This isn't happening," I whispered in disbelief as the storm raged on. I was such a fool for being out in this weather in the first place. I shivered and a tear rolled down my cheek, mixing with the rainwater. I wiped my face with my soaked jacket sleeve and laughed, wondering how I could've been be so stupid.

The road was dark and deserted as I trudged through the rain, hoping to find shelter. I blew on my hands (a useless gesture, considering how soaked I was) and glanced behind me. A pair of headlights shone through the darkness and I stopped and waved my arms, frantically trying to get the vehicle to stop. "Please don't be a serial killer," I prayed as the car pulled up alongside me.

I waited until the window was rolled down before taking a cautious step toward it. "Get in!" the driver yelled over the noise of the rain.

I hesitated for a fraction of a second before opening the door and climbing into the passenger seat. "Thanks for this," I mumbled, sneaking a glance at the boy behind the wheel.

"No problem," he said, giving me a reassuring smile.

He's not bad looking for a potential serial killer, I mused.

He reached over and turned up the heat before switching the radio on. A country song played softly as we drove.

I stared out the window, wondering how I was going to explain this to my parents. They were going to be so pissed when they saw me. "Some friends I have," I muttered, referring to one friend in particular. Well, ex-friend now, I guess.

"Are you talking to me?" the guy behind the wheel asked.

I shook my head and glanced at him. He looked vaguely familiar but I couldn't place his face. "Do we know each other?"

He chuckled and gave me a quick once over. I blushed involuntarily when he flashed me a smile.

"You're Taylor Evans," he said in a voice so dreamy that I found myself more attuned to it. "You make up one half of the infamous Evans sisters, you're a notorious heartbreaker and uh, we had four classes together our senior year," he finished with a breathtaking smile.

I crossed my arms and raised my brow. I hated being lumped with my sister. Although, to be fair, I was the infamous part of our little band, she was actually well liked. "And you are?"

"Me? Well, I'm the guy who's been waiting for most of his teenaged life to be noticed by you."

I rolled my eyes. What a line!

"I bet you say that to all the girls who hitch rides from you on deserted roads in the rain..." I trailed off, forgetting where I was going with that. He grinned at me and I found myself smiling. "What's your name?"

"Brian," he replied. "Brian Archer."

"Brian," I repeated.

"So, can I ask you something?" he asked, glancing at me.

"Shoot."

"What were you doing out there all by yourself?"

I tensed a bit. "It's a long story."

"We've got nothing but time," he reasoned.

"Yeah, its not that interesting either."

"I don't mind," he assured me.

I resisted the urge to reach out and grab his face, look into those gorgeous blue eyes and yell, "CAN'T YOU TAKE A HINT?!"

"What are you doing out here?" I asked instead.

He shrugged. "Just driving around."

"Because that's not weird at all."

"You'd think so," he said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "But you never know where you might end up, the fun is in the mystery."

"Sure," I mumbled, suddenly tired of the conversation. I wanted to be home already, soaking in my bathtub with the music blaring so loud, it'll leave no room for thinking. Or for my parents to badger me with questions about why I was at home instead of on campus.

He gave me a strange look. "You okay?"

I adjusted my body so that I was facing him, he was now staring straight ahead. I didn't answer right away, instead letting the question linger. Was I okay? Probably not, but he didn't have to know that. "Well, I'm not soaking wet anymore, so that's a good thing."

He nodded and I returned my attention to the window. After a few minutes, I turned to him once more. "You can just drop me off at the closest point to—"

"I know where you live, Taylor," he cut me off.

I raised my brow in question.

"I was at a bunch of your parties," he explained.

"Oh," I replied softly, feeling a bit sheepish. I knew nothing about this kind stranger who I'd apparently shared four classes with just a few months ago and I probably should have at least remembered his name.

"You couldn't have known that," he went on. "We ran in entirely different circles, it's cool."

"No, it's not," I said softly. "I should have noticed you before. Its a terrible habit of mine to be oblivious to anyone that's not..." I paused, trying to find the right words.

"Popular?" he offered.

"That's not it."

"Ahh, I see," he said, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

The car grew silent, save for the radio still humming softly. I studied him for the duration of three more songs before it dawned on me that I knew him after all. "I remember you now," I told him with a grin. "You beat Katie out of her valedictorian title!"

He chuckled. "That's the only memory that you have of me?"

I shrugged. For me, it was the only memory that counted. That was the day that perfect Katie's mantle had gotten its first scratch and I'd been way too happy about it.

"How's Northwestern?" he asked after a minute, referring to the college that both Katie and I attended.

"Obviously it's loads of fun," I retorted. "Why else would I have had to hitch a ride to get home instead of going back to my dorm?"

"Oh, c'mon," he prodded. "It's not so bad, you met me didn't you?"

I bit back a smile. "Then it must be my lucky night."

"You and me both, sister." He flashed me another dazzling smile and I averted my gaze.

Despite all the rumors that had said otherwise, I was the farthest thing from a heartbreaker. In fact, I just about sucked at relationships, period.

"Can I ask you one more question?" Brian asked, earning a groan from me. "Can I take you to dinner sometime?"

I froze. That wasn't the question that I was expecting. I mean, he'd said so himself, I'm a notorious heartbreaker —which you know isn't true— but why would he even want to risk it? They didn't call me the Ice Queen for nothing.

"Why?" I asked, sneaking a glance at him.

"Why?"

"Yes, why?"

"What do you mean why?"

I groaned. "This is getting really old, really fast."

He laughed, it was a sound that I realized I could get used to. "I've been waiting forever to ask you out."

"That was so cheesy," I said, holding back my laughter.

But if I was being honest with myself, I'd admit that it warmed my heart—which has been rumored to be made of stone, but I assure you that its not.

"I'm serious," he said. "I really do want to take you to dinner."

I thought about it for a minute and then said something that surprised us both. "Okay."

"Really? You're not just saying that are you?" he asked, glancing at me.

"Nope. Dinner sounds wonderful."

And it did. It had been too long since I'd been on a real date and I honestly didn't think that one lousy decision would land me in the mess that I was currently in.

So, three semi-wonderful years and a crushing heartbreak later, I was cursing the night that we met and shooting darts at a picture of my sister that I'd tacked to the wall, envisioning all the ways that I would pay her back for the misery that she had caused me by agreeing to marry Brian. My Brian.