You and Drew grew up together in North Carolina. He had been your best friend for as long as you could remember. You were practically inseparable from the moment you were born. Okay, maybe not literally inseparable in the womb, but close enough.

You shared everything: inside jokes no one else understood, a ridiculous handshake that had somehow survived the years, and secret words that made absolutely no sense to anyone but the two of you. With you, Drew never had to pretend to be anyone else. He could be loud, stupid, childish, and completely himself. And you loved him for it.

It had always been platonic. At least, that was what you both insisted. Even when your parents tried, on more than one occasion, to play matchmaker, neither of you took the idea seriously. You were best friends. Nothing more. And besides, the thought of dating each other was practically laughable.

At twenty-two, fresh out of university with your Bachelor of Arts degrees in hand, the two of you found yourselves standing at the beginning of completely different paths. Drew was leaving for Los Angeles to chase his dream of becoming an actor, while you stayed behind in your hometown to pursue your own ambitions.

Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things either of you had ever done.

There were hugs that lasted a little too long, jokes made to hide the tears, and promises that nothing would ever change. Neither of you wanted to admit just how much you were going to miss the other. After all, you’d spent your entire lives together. How were you supposed to get used to a world where he wasn’t just a short drive away?

Distance never changed what you had. Not really.

Drew called whenever he could, texted you the most ridiculous things at the most inconvenient hours, and sent you little gifts from the places his career took him. He visited whenever his schedule allowed, and once, he even flew you out to attend a Dior runway show with him. No matter how busy life became or how far apart you were, you never stopped being each other’s person.

Years passed. You both grew older, built lives of your own, and entered your thirties. Drew became an established actor, and you continued chasing your own dreams back home. But whenever you were together, it was as if no time had passed at all. You were still the same two idiots who laughed until their stomachs hurt over jokes no one else understood.

And now, it was Thanksgiving again.

Drew was coming home.

You’d been looking forward to seeing him for weeks, already planning to spend the entire evening catching up. There was just one small detail he had conveniently forgotten to mention until recently.

He wasn’t coming alone.

He was bringing his girlfriend.

Cailee Spaeny. An actress, too.

And today, as you waited for Drew to walk through the door, you couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like to meet the woman who had become such an important part of your best friend’s life.

You’d always imagined that day would come eventually. Of course you had. Drew was allowed to fall in love. He was allowed to build a life with someone, to find a person who made him happy in ways you couldn’t.

You knew that.

So why did the thought of finally meeting her feel so strange?