Prae picked at her food without taking a bite as Shawn took off. "The decorations look nice. Tom mentioned you and Maria made them."

"Have to give her most of the credit. She had the photos and great ideas." When she continued to play with her food, Mitch asked, "Want to check them out?" It would put their backs to the happy couple, where Prae's flickering gaze kept landing.

"Sure."

They checked out the various photos, and he led her to the section where the pictures of her, Maria, and Emma would be. She started laughing when she spotted one of the karaoke shots and sighed at one of her and the girls dressed in traditional Thai outfits for the Loy Krathong celebrations.

She studied the other images he'd pulled from his past trips with Shawn, Sunshine, and others to Indonesia, the Philippines, India, and Malaysia. "You've visited such beautiful places."

"They're pretty incredible." But if New Year's had taught him anything, it was the company more than the destination that made the trip. Without Sunshine, Dan, and Shawn, those memories wouldn't stand out as much.

"What are these?" Prae clutched an envelope of photos. His reminiscing robbed him of the opportunity to dismiss them with a lie. Her eyes widened as she flipped through them and her gaze flickered to Tom. "Are these Maria's pictures?"

"No, I printed those by accident." They were the Wat Arun shots from his phone where Maria had entertained the idea of them being closer despite her ex's presence still lingering. He'd hung the ones where she was alone at the temple, but couldn't resist the urge to print a few of them together. He'd gotten distracted and forgotten to bring them to his apartment. "We took those months ago."

"You both look so happy."

"I was, and she was terrified to venture down those stairs again." And of her ex finding those pictures anywhere and trying to assassinate her image. Why couldn't he have appreciated the effort and risk those moments he took for granted had elicited? Past Mitch was a self-centred dick.

Prae studied him with a slight smile on her lips. He raised an eyebrow.

"She's very lucky."

"Maybe for the past couple weeks, but overall she's had some pretty shit luck." Mitch hadn't helped by giving her hope and kicking her when she was down with his miserable moods.

"I suppose you're right." Prae's tone fell.

Wasn't he supposed to be cheering her up? Instead, he was piling on the guilt. "Maria mentioned you had some bad luck over the New Year."

Prae tensed. "What did she say?"

"You had your own jerk to deal with."

"It wasn't only that."

"What else happened?" His eyes flickered to a photo of Tom and Maria at Prae's home.

"You wouldn't understand."

In the image, Tom had his arm wrapped around Maria, but the most devastating part was that her smile confirmed Tom was the right guy. "I might surprise you."

"It's not important."

"Is this kreng jai?" he asked. The Thai habit of concealing one's true feelings to consider others and avoid making them uncomfortable was familiar enough to him.

"You know kreng jai?"

He nodded. "I know I come off as an ignorant asshole, but I respect the country enough to learn about its culture. If you're worried about someone overhearing, I understand Thai well too."

"Khun riian phaa saa thai thii nai khub?"

"I learn from my students, from friends, from women," he answered in Thai. His final answer elicited a chuckle from Prae.

"What do your parents think of you teaching in Bangkok?" she asked.

His skin grew clammier, and he scanned the crowd for Shawn with those drinks. The man was taking his sweet time, and Emma was the culprit. This conversation was supposed to be about Prae's feelings for Tom—not about this. But Mitch was meant to support and distract her, so he could stomach a quick question on his least favourite topic.

"They weren't happy."

She sighed. "Are they happy now?"

It was a valid question, but one he had no accurate answer to. He suspected their lives were easier with him out of the picture. His father had yelled at him about abandoning his studies and family and had hushed conversations about not having a clue what happened to the responsible son he raised. At the airport, his mother had broken down, begging Mitch to stay in touch and come home soon. He'd done neither.

He tried to keep his voice steady and remember the correct tones in Thai. "I don't know. We don't speak much." He sensed Prae's stare, and he hoped she took his lack of eye contact as a clue he needed the questions to stop to save face. He was wrong to dismiss kreng jai earlier. "How do yours feel?"

She pressed her lips together. "My parents, especially my mother, believe I should leave Bangkok and move back to my village."

His nose tingled as his mother's words came to mind. She's still sick, and it's getting worse, Mitchell. If you can make it home this weekend... He closed his eyes to take in the reggaeton music, to inhale the scent of chlorine, food, and jasmine. Dwelling on the past wouldn't help Prae.

"Is-is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, they're all fine."

Mitch let out a breath of relief. "Why do they dislike Bangkok?"

"They believe I should live differently than I am."

"With fewer beautiful bathing suits and parties?"

Prae nodded but didn't say more.

"I'm sorry you're going through that. It's a shitty feeling."

For a good minute, they remained silent. Mitch knew from his conversations with Maria and Sunshine that his thoughts weren't useful in these situations.

"Should we check on Shawn and the sangria?" Mitch switched to English. Her smile was as much encouragement as he needed to abandon the wretched topic and wander toward the food and drinks tables.

"Prae!" Emma shouted and tackled her in an embrace. After Emma whispered something in Prae's ear, the Thai woman blushed. "What were you two doing over there?"

"Looking at the lovely decorations Maria and Mitch put up."

"They're pretty awesome." Shawn picked up two plastic cups. "Liquid fun, as promised. A fair warning, Em mixed them so they're—."

"Extra fun!" Emma winked.

Mitch could certainly taste the wine through the orange juice and fruit wedges, but he wasn't complaining. Once Prae seemed settled into the conversation, he left to serve himself a bowl of Khao Soi. His gaze wandered to Maria and Tom, who chatted. At least the guy was giving her his full attention now, which was the bare minimum of what she deserved.

Emma sneaked up beside him. "I don't know what you're planning, but it better not involve hurting either of those women. Maria's finally happy, and Prae doesn't need your brand of distraction."

"I'm just here to enjoy the party with my friends, not to cause drama. Like I promised on Christmas, I'm keeping my distance."

"Really? That's what you're calling you and Maria in the pool."

He sighed. "I'm not good at it, but I am trying."

Emma looked into his eyes and uncrossed her arms. "And Prae?"

"I'm just trying to keep her mind off Tom and Maria."

"Why?" As Emma blinked at him, he realized his mistake. How could he be that dense? Of course, Prae wouldn't tell a soul about her feelings. He had to fix this.

"They're so honeymoony, and you guys said there was guy drama at New Year... and I thought food and drinks and travel photos would cheer her up? If you want to join us and help, go for it. "

Emma grabbed a bottle of vodka and shot glasses. "I have a few drinking games that'll do the trick."

After a few hours, the drinks—along with Emma and Shawn's mellow vibes—helped Prae relax and enjoy the party. Mitch tried to keep her attention off Maria and Tom, as he knew how painful it was to lose hope. Every kiss Maria shared with Tom displayed with heart-wrenching clarity that whatever she'd implied earlier in the pool had been for her entertainment or just a familiar comfort. It had meant nothing.

Once the party wound down, Mitch and Shawn escorted Prae to her apartment since she'd gotten pretty liquored up.

As they walked the still busy streets, she leaned into Mitch, and whispered in Thai, "She likes you a lot."

His stomach fluttered. It had to be the wine messing with him or he'd misunderstood. "What are you talking about?"

Prae switched to English. "Maria, she only cared about a little Tom when the holidays started."

Mitch stiffened. That false hope had crushed him during the party. He couldn't fall victim to it again. "They care about each other now, and that's what matters."

"Don't you like her?" Prae asked. "Don't you care that she cares?"

"I do, Prae, and that's why I'm stepping aside. She can make her own choices."

If by some miracle Maria had more than platonic feelings for him, she could stop seeing Tom. She had downplayed the seriousness of her relationship but had spent most of the party in his arms.

Mitch no longer wished to put ideas in her head or confuse her. She'd been through enough mind games, his included.

He took in Prae for a moment, her delicate features and slight curves. This situation hurt them both, and they could console each other in his favourite way. He shut down the idea, blaming the booze.

They reached a tall apartment building and ascended a few floors, landing on the fourth one.

"What if she never chooses you?" Prae whispered.

Christ, she liked to go for the jugular. Mitch swallowed a lump in his throat as his palms sweated. "Then I move on."

Her eyes widened. "You care that little?"

Shawn looked between Prae and Mitch. "I can meet you downstairs in a few."

Mitch nodded. "I want her to be happy, and as much as it hurts, I have to accept I might not be the right man for her."

A few tears trickled down her cheeks, and she slid down the hallway corridor wall until she hugged her knees to her chest. She shook with muffled sobs. "I never thought I would be a worse person than you."

The statement hit him square in the chest, not because it was untrue, but because Prae stated it as a fact. If she and Maria were close, Maria might have been given her that opinion. He had made the right call to back down and let Tom step in.

"You're not," he muttered, sitting down beside her.

"I want them to fail, and for you to become into the man she cares so deeply for so that Tom comes to me."

His chest ached. He wanted that more than anything too. "I got that impression earlier."

Her jaw dropped, and her brown eyes went wide. "They are my friends. I should never think that!"

"You're into him. It's okay to be jealous, and you've had a lot to drink."

"I want him to be happy too, and I thought they'd make a good couple. But during the trip, Tom took care of me when things were difficult, and he was wonderful with my family. He belonged in a way I never believed he could. Since then, he has been so remarkable and kind. But I told Maria to consider Tom earlier, now I'm a traitor."

"Never thought I'd see the day two gorgeous women fought over Tom, but give it time. The relationship might not last."

"You should tell her you like her!" After her voice echoed in the hall, she frowned and glanced at the other apartment doors.

"If she's not really into Tom, it shouldn't matter if I get involved or not. Maria's a smart woman. She'll step away if she wants to."

"And if she doesn't?"

"You and I can have more venting sessions if it gets to that point."

"Venting?"

"Talking about how frustrated and upset we are."

"Just talk?"

Mitch raised an eyebrow. "What else did you have in mind?"

Prae leaned over and pressed her sweet sangria-tinged lips to his. Before his brain caught up with his body, he'd pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. His senses lit up with missed affection, but he stopped a few seconds later.

"We've had too much to drink," Mitch said.

She sighed. "Even you aren't interested in me."

"I'm not who you want either. Trust me, Tom wants you. But, he seemed to figure that out after he started dating Maria, and I don't think he knows how to deal with it."

"How is that of any comfort?"

"Tell you what, if they're together in a month's time and you still want whatever this is when you haven't drunk so much, we'll give it a shot. But you're better than this Prae, we both are." If he kept telling himself that, maybe he'd believe it. He wanted to be better for Maria.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he withdrew it to answer Shawn's call. "What's up?"

"You coming down?" Shawn asked.

"Yeah, in just a minute." He turned to Prae and helped her stand. "Are you good? Got your keys and everything?"

She sorted through her purse then nodded.

Mitch spoke into the phone. "Yeah, I'll meet you in a few. We'll walk back together."

"Thanks, man," Shawn said. "See you soon."

Prae played with her keys and looked up at Mitch.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

Prae nodded, and a few tears slipped from her eyes. Mitch wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him.

"Thanks," she said. "I understand why Maria has a high opinion of you."

"Likewise." Mitch squeezed her, and the back of his throat tickled as he imagined Maria's glowing smile. He hoped that was still true.