Chapter 13
chapter thirteen
“Holy shit .” Nate is panting when we finish the run. “I didn’t know you could actually move that fast.”
I regret it. Immensely. But I knew more than anything that I could not stare at his back while we were running.
Sleep didn’t do anything. When I woke up, I saw Nate’s strong legs dangling over the couch and had a full-body reaction. A ridiculous shudder pulsed through me and I knew I was still in trouble.
That was when I got up to go for a run.
And Nate woke up just in time to join me.
The second I stop, I fall onto the deck. I can’t even worry about how dirty it must be—I just need to be horizontal.
A water bottle appears beside me and I take it from Nate, guzzling it without a second thought. “Thanks,” I manage after a moment.
“You pushed yourself a little hard there, berry. It’s almost like us humans have limits.”
“Fuck you.” I’m still heaving, and it takes effort for me to talk. “I just wanted to prove that I’m not slow.”
“Oh, you proved something all right. ”
“What? That I’m capable of beating you?”
A slow smile spreads on his face. “I wasn’t even sprinting.”
“Are you kidding ?”
“Nope. But you did prove that you have issues. So many issues.”
“Look, I have something in my pocket for you.”
“You don’t even have pockets.” He gestures at my leggings.
I flip him off anyway.
“Now you’re stealing my jokes. Get your own sense of humor.”
“We’ve been around each other too long. We basically have the same sense of humor at this point.”
“Or you’ve just stolen all of my material. Rude.” He huffs, but holds out a hand. I take it and slowly get up.
The second I’m upright, he pulls it away.
Now I’m unnerved that he’s so hot and disappointed that he’s not touching me more.
I really am losing my mind.
“Are you really all right?” he asks. “You don’t run like that unless something is bothering you.”
“I’m still feeling off,” I admit. “I’m trying not to be, but I am.”
“That’s okay,” he replies. “We both thought this week would be different. Hell, I never expected you to be on a boat like this ever .”
I laugh before sobering. “It would have been terrible to have Rob here, by the way. I’m glad it’s you.”
He gives me a half smile. “I’m glad it’s you too.”
A moment passes between us, one where I think he could mean something more. But I shove that away. I’m not ruining this by letting whatever has come over me make me question him.
“We’re on Grand Cayman today, right?” I ask. “Should we get breakfast before we explore again?”
Nate looks down at the sweat covering his body—something I definitely did not notice—and winces. “I think I need a quick shower, but yes.”
A shower means seeing his ass.
Which I cannot do.
“I’ll just tidy up in the pool deck bathroom then,” I say. “And check in with everyone back home!”
The high pitch in my voice is back, and Nate frowns.
“Are you?—”
“Yep! Bye!”
I groan when I flop onto a pool chair. I’m still in my running outfit, but I refuse to be anywhere near a naked Nate. My leggings and sneakers will have to do.
Pulling my phone out, I finally open the messaging app. Since I’ve been with Nate, I’ve been so focused on us that I’ve not looked at a thing. I have a few unread messages waiting for me.
Quinn
Hey, just checking in. Want to hang out?
Haven’t heard back from you. Call me when you see this?
The second I see the message, I video call her.
“Maisie?” she answers. “Thank goodness. How are you?”
“I’m okay.”
“I should come over. How about a girls’ movie day? I need it after all the drama with my birthday party and ... other things.”
I grimace. I feel even worse for what I’m about to say. “I would say yes, but I’m not home. Nate convinced me to go on the cruise with him.”
She goes quiet. “I thought you said you didn’t want to go. ”
“I didn’t, but he made some good points about how I shouldn’t be alone. It’s ... fine, I guess. Hard to complain about life when you’re surrounded by water, right?”
It’s a bald-faced lie, one that wouldn’t work on Nate.
Thankfully, I’m not talking to Nate.
“Well, that explains a lot.” She lets out a laugh. “We were all worried about you when Rob went by your place and you didn’t open the door.”
I blinked. “Rob went to my house?”
“Yeah, he wanted to talk it out. But when you didn’t answer, I figured I would check in on you. Not that you have to answer for him, of course. I’m on your side here, but usually you do.”
Suddenly, I’m glad I’m on the boat. I’m not sure how I would have fared if I were home and saw Rob on my front porch.
“Not this time.”
“He’s really trying to make it up to you.”
“He is?”
“Not that you have to accept! But as the days go on, he’s getting more and more serious about it.”
I wish he wasn’t serious at all. He said what he said.
And I won’t take an apology this time.
“You don’t need to be in the middle of this, not with your party coming up. Just tell him I need space.”
“I’ll try. You know how he is when he’s determined.”
I do. And now that I’m away from him, I’m not sure I like it.
That determination was the main thing I liked when he asked me out. He showered me with gifts and attention. And with the information that he just wanted to fuck me, all of it is shallow now.
Does he want me to take him back because he’s sorry, or is this a challenge for him?
“I do, but that’s his issue to deal with.”
“Fair enough,” Quinn says. “How is the cruise, though? ”
“Great,” I lie. “I mean, I’m with Nate. What could possibly go wrong?”
“That’s fair. You two always manage to have fun.” She laughs. “Enjoy it. And take pictures!”
I promise her I will before I see Nate on the pool deck looking for me. He must have taken the shortest shower ever.
With a deep breath, I stand and wave at him. No more of the weirdness. I’m determined to be normal.
Ten minutes into breakfast, I mess it up by mentioning Rob.
“He went to your house?” Nate asks slowly. The grip on his fork seems to tighten.
“Yep. Thank goodness I wasn’t there.”
Nate’s only answer is a hum. He doesn’t look like himself and I hate the frown that’s made its way to his face.
“Nate, I’m sure he thinks a pathetic apology will be enough, but it won’t be. Not this time.”
His gaze flicks up to me and back down at his cup. “Yeah, sure.”
I narrow my eyes. “What? Do you have a different opinion?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“I think it does.”
He lets out a long sigh and takes a drink of his coffee. “Do you really wanna do this?”
“I do.”
“Fine.” He leans forward. “Do you remember the time he didn’t talk to you for two weeks straight? It was three or so years ago.”
I don’t like to think about it, but of course I remember it. Nate and I were hanging out, and I was in a bad mood but not sure why. That was when I opened my text chain with Rob and he’d completely ghosted me.
“Yes,” I say. “And I gave him hell for that.”
“You did. I remember you saying you’d rather be single than ignored, if memory serves.”
I wince. That was harsh, but now that I think about it, it might have been better to stick to my guns. I’m not sure why I didn’t. But I remember Rob calling. He promised to be better. And over time, that anger faded.
He proposed less than a year later.
“He whittles you down. Slowly makes it seem like you’re the one overreacting. No one tries harder than Rob when he’s messed up. If you ask me, he should be trying every single day.” The words are coated with a bitterness that I can’t explain, and it unsettles me.
“Are you ... annoyed that I stayed with Rob for so long?” I ask.
“Why would you ask that?”
“You have a weird tone.” When he stares at me warily, I laugh. “Come on. You’re not the only one who knows their best friend. I know you too, remember?”
“Right,” he mutters. “And when you were happy, no. But it wasn’t fun seeing him screw things up and get unlimited chances.”
I stare at Nate. Is that what I did? Give Rob unlimited chances when he hurt me?
Would I have ever seen it if he hadn’t gone after Nate?
My stomach churns and I’m not sure I want to be eating anymore. Now that Rob’s gone, I’m not missing much. My life hasn’t changed in a dramatic way.
I don’t even miss him yet.
So why did I give him chances? Why did I let his gifts and attention win me over?
My phone buzzes with a text and I flip it over.
Rob
I’m guessing you went on our honeymoon.
A flare of defensiveness hits me and another one comes through.
Rob
You probably need that time. Enjoy it.
As I read them, I can see where I would have taken those words at face value. He seems like he regrets it. He seems sorry.
This is when I would soften.
“There he is,” Nate says with a laugh. He finishes off his drink. “I knew it wouldn’t be long. I’ll let you decide what to say to him.”
He sounds resigned, like he knows what I’m going to do. With a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, he stands and walks away.
My jaw tightens as I refocus on the text. I still remember what he said about Nate and me. It still burns when I think about it.
Instead of softening, I poke the bear.
Maisie
Thanks. Nate and I are definitely enjoying it.
Rob texts back immediately.
Rob
Are you serious? You went on OUR honeymoon with him?
I huff out a humorless laugh. Whatever his deal is with Nate, it’s still there.
It’ll always be there.
With a long sip, I finish my own coffee and shoot off one more text before I stand and follow Nate.
Maisie
Of course I did. What else are best friends for?