Chapter 6
August
Ruben
Ever since Shane had sent me the picture of his lunch out of the blue, we had fallen into a strange rhythm. Every few days, we would write each other short, meaningless messages. We’d send each other photos of everyday things.
On the one hand, it was good to keep in touch.
On the other hand, reading these aimless messages drove me a tiny bit crazy.
It was as if neither of us knew what to do with the other.
We sought each other’s company without really committing.
We danced around each other without addressing my cowardly escape or Shane’s outburst.
I read Shane’s last message again. A pile of sand that he had titled My first sand cake.
Still grinning, I thought of a witty reply.
“Watch it, boss!” Sway yelled in my ear from behind. I jumped that I almost dropped the phone.
Her malicious laughter only grew louder as I tried to give her a fierce glare. The emphasis was clearly on the word “tried.”
“If I drop dead because of a heart attack, it’s all your fault.”
Grinning, she briefly patted my shoulder and walked past me into the food truck.
“You’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
Putting my phone away, I hurried after her. There was a reason I was at the truck early. The plan had been for me to get everything ready before my assistant showed up. We would have to tackle this task together.
“You’re early,” I commented on her arrival, glancing at my watch.
“Oh, why should I stay in bed when I can scare you to death?” She wasn’t going to lose that grin on her face anytime soon. “What was so fascinating about your phone, anyway? You could have had a parade of drag queens march past you and you wouldn’t have noticed.”
“Nothing.” My answer was too short and too curt.
Sway laughed again. “Oh, okay. You don’t have to tell me your secrets.”
“I don’t have any secrets . . . ” My thoughts wandered off to Shane. There was nothing to tell. “It’s . . . nothing. Unfortunately.”
“Oh dear. Come on! What’s bugging you?”
She pulled her long black hair back into a tighter ponytail.
“Nothing. A guy.”
I could barely finish speaking before she interrupted me. “Ha! I knew it! Is there a new guy?”
“A new guy? What do you mean? There isn’t an old one.”
Laughing, she waved her hand dismissively.
“You know. The one from Ocean View. The surfer. The one you’ve been pining for all summer, and suddenly you were inseparable.
And then . . . ” She narrowed her eyes slightly and raised her head, tapping her forehead thoughtfully.
“And then we moved here. Hmm. Why did we leave so suddenly? You never told me that.”
She was scrutinizing me with her dark eyes, reminding me of a sniper who had her prey in her sights.
Frustrated, I opened the small refrigerator and stared blankly into it. “We had to move on. The business was done anyway. We were able to get here a few days earlier than planned.”
“And . . . your lover?”
“My lover!” I snorted. And gave up. Abruptly, I stood, pushed the refrigerator door shut, and crossed my arms in front of my chest. “It would never have worked out between him and me. There’s no need to worry about it.”
“Got it! Everything is pointless. But tell me again: why wouldn’t it have worked out?” I tried to get a word in, but she continued talking over me. “Would you have wanted it to work out?”
I had been proud to avoid that line of thought since I left Ocean View. Now it had caught up with me.
“I . . . ”
She watched me expectantly. “Yes? You?”
“Asking myself whether I wanted it to work out or not is completely ridiculous.”
“But why?” she blurted out again. “I didn’t realize that was an option for you.” Neither did I. “I thought it was a quick, convenient fling.” For Shane, maybe. “Didn’t he want to?” she asked as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“I . . . didn’t ask him directly.”
Sway’s eyes widened. “But . . . ?”
“I ran away?”
Now her mouth dropped open. “Ruben! Why?”
“I had a good reason. Shane doesn’t want anything serious. You saw him when we were in Ocean View. He changes bed partners faster than some people change their underwear. Why should I sit there and watch him replace me?”
“He replaced you?” She stared at me in disbelief. “Ever since you two got together, I’ve only seen him with you.”
“I saw him with someone else.”
My colleague and also my friend now pursed her lips in solidarity and outrage. “That sucks. He could have at least told you. Or did he?”
I avoided her gaze and chewed on my lower lip. “He didn’t say anything. He claims nothing happened.”
She shrugged and pointed at my phone in my pocket. “What now?”
“Now we write. Pointless stuff.”
Her expression softened again. “It isn’t pointless if it captivates you to the point, I can sneak up on you.”
I grinned sheepishly. The things that captivated me. A sand cake.
Sway nudged me with her foot. “Maybe write something else. Something less pointless. Something you’ve been wanting to say for a long time.”
“And who are you now? A matchmaker? Come on, get to work. We’re opening in half an hour, and nothing is ready! Chop, chop! Stop dawdling!”
I turned away busily. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her rolling her eyes with a smirk. “Sure thing, boss,” she said, every word dripping with sarcasm.
I took a short break on a bench in the center of the small town after the midday rush had subsided.
The wooden pavilion next to me provided shade, but I wanted to enjoy the last rays of summer sunshine.
Autumn, with its fog, would be upon us soon enough.
The summer heat still lingered in the streets, which were deserted after the last days of summer break.
Most of the kids were back at school. Just days before, they had all been hanging out in front of the ice cream parlor, but now there was no sign of them until late afternoon.
I tilted my head back and gazed at the gentle hills and woods surrounding the New England town. Individual trees already stood out from the forests in autumnal shades of gold and red.
I boldly pulled my phone out of my pocket. Sway was right. It was time to take action.
Hey. What’s up?
I stared at the words. More nonsense.
I boldly opened the chat. As I typed, the message got marked as read.
Have you got time to meet up? I could drive to Ocean View. I’m only about two hours away. There. If that didn’t say action, nothing did.
The dots that signaled Shane was typing flashed incessantly. My hands were sweating. Damn it. It was only a question. If he didn’t want to meet up, I’d know soon enough.
Sorry. Aiden and I are in Maine for the season finale all week. My boss signed us up for a few amateur races. We’re representing the school. Maybe another time?
Aiden. The same Aiden from the party? Was that a rejection? It was definitely a no. Damn. The last grain of hope crumbled inside me. Where the hell had that come from? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about this guy?
Yeah, sure. Let’s see. Never!
Maybe next week? Shane replied immediately.
I turned my smartphone in my hands. What if he had spent the whole week with Aiden the surfer dude? What kind of coward was I, anyway?
I already have plans. Lie. I’ll be in touch. Another lie.
Okay.
Okay? Okay? I was about to throw my phone at that damn adorable romantic pavilion.
I stood abruptly. My break was over anyway.
Work was the only thing that would help me get the image of Shane and Adonis-Aiden rolling around in the sand out of my head. I closed my eyes at the thought and clenched my jaw. Or not.