Chapter 18 - Micah
Iblinked a few times, not sure I could believe what I was seeing. Phillip gave me a smile I could tell was fake, predatory, the kind he used to give me before he tried to manipulate me into doing something he wanted, something he knew I’d hate.
“Hey, babe.”
My stomach turned sour. “Don’t call me that.”
“But—” He took a step in my direction, reaching out for me.
I stepped back, away from him. “Don’t.” An anxious lump formed in my throat and I swallowed hard, glancing around at the rest of the people in the trailer. When my gaze landed on Asher, ice washed over me. I took a slow breath. “What are you doing here?”
“I came all this way just to see you.”
Lies. I had no doubt he was lying. “Phillip.”
At that moment, Jake cleared his throat. My breath hitched and I nodded. “Everyone, this is Phillip. My ex.”
“Babe, don’t say it like that.” His tone was syrupy sweet, causing a surge of rage to flow through me.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Did you need something?”
He reached for me again.
This time, Jake moved from behind the desk and stepped between us. “I’m sure I told you we don’t allow guests on site.”
Phillip looked at me, gaze fixed on mine, a challenge. I shrugged and looked at Jake for a second, then at Asher, whose eyes were wide, then back to Phillip. “You heard the boss.”
Phillip huffed in defeat. “Fine. I'll catch you later.” I couldn't tell if it was a promise or a threat. A moment later and he was gone. The second the trailer door shut behind him, I let out a long, relieved breath.
Jake looked at me for a second before clearing his throat. “Don't go anywhere just yet. Give him a couple of minutes to clear out. I'm going to go get work started again.” He looked at Max, who nodded quickly.
“Right,” Max said. “Micah, take all the time you need. We’ve got you covered. Asher?”
“I'll be right out,” Asher said. With that, Jake and Max were gone. “Are you okay?” Asher stood and moved closer to me.
I exhaled, slow and shaky, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah.” I didn’t want to get into details. Not right now. Not at work, of all places.
“What did he want?”
I shrugged, trying to seem casual and unbothered. “I don't know. To be an asshole, probably.”
He nodded slowly. “I believe it. He seemed like an asshole.” A moment of silence passed between us before he cleared his throat. “I’m going to head back out there. I’m sure Tyler could use a hand.”
“Thanks,” I murmured. “I’ll be out in a sec.
” As the door closed behind him, I scrubbed my hands over my face and let out yet another long breath.
How did he find me? What did he want? I couldn’t stop the racing thoughts.
I shook my shoulders out and stretched my neck a little before leaving the trailer.
I found myself distracted for the rest of the day, part of me wondering what the hell he wanted and part of me worrying he’d return.
I knew it was only a matter of time before he found me, either in town or at home and heaviness settled over me at the thought.
I tried to keep myself focused on work, to shove away the worries about Phillip.
Eventually, we wrapped up for the day, Max calling it a little early, which I was grateful for. I knew I shouldn’t, but I avoided Asher’s questioning look as I ducked into my car and headed home.
As I walked in, Kieran was on the couch, working on his laptop. He immediately closed the laptop and set it aside. “Well that was quite the day.” A beat passed. “Phillip, huh? You doing okay?”
“Peachy,” I said dryly, collapsing onto the couch.
“What did he want?”
“God, I have no idea. Nothing good.”
“He never does.”
Worry gnawed at my stomach and I closed my eyes briefly. “I need a fucking drink. Let’s go to that bar. Copper Elephant.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?”
“I can’t hole up and hide from him. I have to live my life.”
Kieran nodded and patted his thighs before standing. “In that case, let’s go to Copper Elephant. You should invite Asher.”
Asher. My chest tightened. I wanted to see him again, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk getting him tangled up in Phillip’s bullshit. After letting the idea percolate for a moment, I nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.” I pulled out my phone and shot him a quick text.
Micah: Want to meet me and Kieran at Copper Elephant? You can bring Jackson.
His response came quickly.
Asher: See you there.
A half hour later, we were gathered by the pool tables, each of us with a drink in hand. I watched as Jackson and Kieran played, while I leaned against the wall near Asher, a bar table between us.
“Are you—”
I looked at him. “I’m fine.” It came out sounding snippier than I intended. His throat moved as he swallowed before nodding, regret washing over me. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. You don’t have to talk about it.”
I sighed and sipped my beer before setting the bottle on the table. “Phillip is my ex.”
He smirked. “I gathered that.”
A chuckle escaped me. “Right. Sorry. He’s just… he’s terrible. He was terrible when we were together and he got worse after I left him.”
“Terrible how?”
Kieran approached us then, placing his pint glass on the table. “He’s a total asshole. Manipulative, possessive, you know the type.”
“Violent?” Asher asked quietly, just barely able to be heard over the music.
I shook my head. “No, just a garden-variety asshole.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah.”
A quiet moment passed between the three of us, the cracking of the pool balls against each other and the music over the loudspeaker filling the space, when I glanced around, my gaze landing on the door.
Phillip stood in the entryway, a familiar face just behind him. My chest tightened with anxiety, my shoulders tensing. It didn’t take long for them to spot us and they meandered over with twin snake-like grins.
“Great,” I muttered, straightening up and grabbing my beer to have something to do with my hands. In a blink, Phillip and his buddy Daniel were close.
“Micah,” Phillip said, false warmth in his tone.
I nodded once. “Phil.” He hated when I called him that.
I knew I probably shouldn’t provoke him, but I couldn’t help myself.
I didn’t want him to think I was the same, easily intimidated Micah he knew.
I was more than that now. I turned my gaze to Daniel and nodded at him, too, before looking back at Phillip. “What are you two doing here?”
Phillip’s smile tightened. “We were in town. Thought we’d stop by and get a drink. What a coincidence that you happen to be here.”
“What are you doing in Port Grandlin?” I clarified. He waved away my question, but I persisted. “Phillip…”
“I came to see you, of course.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Does there have to be a reason? Can’t I just miss seeing you?”
I cleared my throat. “You drove six hours to see me because you miss me, even though I left you over six months ago?”
He clenched his jaw, the muscle in his temple twitching. “You’re relentless, aren’t you? Fine, I came to talk to you about the condo. I’m being hounded by an investor and I thought you might want your share.”
It sounded very much not like Phillip to want to split anything with me. I didn’t trust him, not at all. Instead of replying, I sipped my beer again and set it on the table.
“I tried to get you the papers today, but you didn’t want to hear it.”
“Fine,” I said firmly. “We can meet one day after work and I’ll sign whatever you need me to sign.”
“Good. Perfect.”
“You can go now.”
He didn't budge.
“I'm serious. We're done here.”
“What? I'm just enjoying a night out.”
“Go to hell, Phillip.”
I grabbed my mostly-empty beer bottle and looked at my friends. “I'm getting a refill. Anyone else?” They shook their heads, a quiet chorus of nos, and I took a few steps toward the bar when Phillip grabbed my arm and leaned in close.
“Don’t think this is over,” he hissed, so quiet only I could hear. His grip tightened, his fingers digging into my arm. I tried unsuccessfully to shake him off.
Jackson stepped in at that moment. “Hi,” he said, quiet and firm. “I'm Jackson. You need to let him go.”
“This is between us, just me and Micah, Jackson,” he muttered.
“It's about to be between just me and you, Phillip.” He put his hand on Phillip's, where it was on my bicep. “We don't want to make any trouble here.”
A tense moment passed. Finally, Phillip sighed and released me. “Later.”
With that, he and Daniel were gone, stalking out of the bar without a glance back. I exhaled in relief and shook off his touch.
A glance back at my friend group. Kieran and Asher stood, silent and wide-eyed. Jackson put a gentle hand on my shoulder.
“About that refill…”
“Thank you for that.”
He shook his head, clearing away the praise. “Don't mention it. Let's just get another drink and get back to pool.”
I rubbed my arm where Phillip had held me. It still hurt, a reminder that I wasn’t free of him, not yet. I would be, soon, though.
“Good idea,” I said, following Jackson to the bar.