Chapter 4

Five years earlier, after picking Bridget up from the airport, Lucy hides in Bridget’s childhood bedroom to avoid Felix, reeling from having slept with him multiple times the previous day without knowing he was Bridget’s brother. Felix uses a playful “secret knock” and persuades Lucy to talk privately while Bridget sings in the shower.

Lucy insists they cannot be alone together, citing Bridget’s “rules” for the trip and revealing the unspoken third: don’t fall in love with Felix, a boundary shaped by a past friendship gone wrong. Felix acknowledges the point, explaining he hadn’t known Lucy would arrive because he’d left his phone at a friend’s place, and he has no intention of discussing his sex life with Bridget.

They agree that Bridget must never find out, recognizing the risk to Lucy’s closest friendship. Despite their mutual attraction and Lucy’s physical response to Felix’s nearness, they formalize boundaries to manage the fallout and avoid escalation.

Together they set three rules: don’t tell Bridget, don’t sleep together again, and don’t fall in love. The pact creates a fragile ceasefire that underscores their chemistry while establishing the secrecy and forbidden stakes that will complicate their relationships.