16
Brandon
The Jackalope’s nose is bleeding, and it’s a glorious sight. As soon as I hit him, Pepper runs and hides behind me.
“What the hell were you doing with my daughter?”
“She stole my phone,” Jack says, his words slightly muffled by his hand holding his dripping nose. “I was trying to get it back.”
I wheel around. “Pepper! Do you have Mr. Willoughby’s phone?”
Her eyes betray her guilt. She lifts his phone up to show me. So help me! What has she been up to? Behind her, Annie watches in silent horror.
“Give it to me,” I say softly, barely containing my frustration.
“But Dad,” she whines.
“Give it to me!” I say through gritted teeth. People leaving the campfire are beginning to stream down the path near us. Some are staring. I don’t care.
She hands me the phone. I turn it over to Jack, who snatches it back and scans it eagerly.
“Sorry about the nose,” I begin. “But when I saw you tugging on her I freaked out.”
“I didn’t touch her, I promise. I was just trying to get my phone back, and she was holding it tightly.”
“Pepper, is this true? What happened?”
Pepper looks at me, a spark in her eyes. “Yes, it’s true. We were fighting for his phone—and I was winning.”
I sigh and turn back to Jack. “Sorry, I didn’t realize . . .”
“What were you thinking? It’s just a phone!” Annie cuts me off and turns on Jack with a ferocity that warms my heart. “You should have gone straight to her dad.”
“I was trying to find Brandon, but then I saw you two skulk off in the shadows together.” He gives Annie a pointed look.
“Why did you take his phone?” I ask Pepper.
“It was just a prank—a practical joke.”
“How did you get my passcode?” asks Jack.
“Yeah, I don’t even know it,” says Annie.
“Oh! That part was easy. It was five, two, two, five,” Pepper says with a smug look. “It spells J.A.C.K.”
I’m furious at Pepper, but also, my daughter is a genius.
“Wait, a prank?” asks Jack with a dawning realization. “Are you the one who wrote on my mirror?”
Pepper nods, no longer looking so self-assured.
“I don’t know what to say,” Jack shakes his head in disbelief. “You certainly have your work cut out with this one.”
“Jack!” says an outraged Annie.
“What? She stole my phone! She broke into my apartment! I don’t see why you are siding with them. You always side with them.”
As much as I’m enjoying this lovers’ quarrel, I have a daughter to attend to.
“Pepper! You need to apologize to Mr. Willoughby. It isn’t okay to steal, not even for a practical joke.”
“Sorry,” Pepper says, not sounding the least bit sorry.
“No foul, no harm,” he says, which is a little ironic considering his nose is still bleeding. “I shouldn’t have tried to take the phone out of your hands,” he says to Pepper. “That was uncool.”
I’m thoroughly annoyed that Jack is quick to admit his fault. I want him to be the self-entitled prick I believe him to be.
“Thanks for understanding. Again, I’m sorry about the nose,” I say, sounding even less sorry than Pepper. It felt good to punch Jack Willoughby.
***
We walk in silence all the way home. This is not the silent treatment. I need a few minutes of quiet to help me gather my thoughts. I lived a million lives today.
“What were you doing on his phone?” I ask as soon as we are safe in the cottage.
“I made a shortcut so that every time he types “I” his phone automatically types “I am Pampas Grass.”
“What? Where did you get this idea?”
“Edward.”
“There’s no way Edward taught you that.”
“Not exactly, he was complaining that his stepbrother Robbie had done it to him. Every time he types “I” it autocorrects to the full lyrics of “I’m too sexy.”
“And you did this to his phone?”
“I didn’t get a chance,” she says with no remorse whatsoever in her eyes.
And I get it. Jack is just so damn irritating.
I’ve resigned myself to Annie dating someone other than me.
But Jack Willoughby! Seeing him with her has been so infuriating.
I want to throw caution to the wind, risk it all, and make a wild declaration of my love.
Although I pretty much did that singing to her tonight.
And all it did was make her furious. I suppose it’s a good thing I didn’t say all that I really wanted to say.
It was bad enough hearing her defend Jack.
I can’t do this anymore.
“We need to pack up and go home.”
“Nooo, Dad! I promise I’ll stop pestering Jack.”
“You already made that promise and broke it, many times. Trust me, I get it. I’m tempted to punch him again.”
“Dad, that was so cool!”
“Yeah, well, I’m not proud of that. In fact, that’s one more reason to go home.”
“So you’re just giving up?”
“She’s dating someone else. We have to accept that.”
“But do we?” she says in a cajoling voice.
“Yes, Pepper. You can’t force someone to love you.”
“But Annie already loves you! I know it.”
Pepper’s words twist my heart. I want to believe that Annie cares for me.
I look for signs of it everywhere—in how she says my name, or how she seems to linger every time she touches me, and how often I find her looking at me.
And tonight, while I sang, our eyes locked, and I felt such a deep connection.
She felt it too. I know it. That’s why she had to chew me out. But she’s made up her mind.
“Ah, Pep, I wish. But she’s dating Jack,” I say, as much to remind myself. “I have to honor that.”
“Well I don’t.”
“I know—you’ve made that clear, and that’s why we’re going home tomorrow.”
“Noooo . . . nevermind! I promise I won’t do anything else.”
“You’re already broken too many promises. I hate to say this, but I don’t trust you anymore. Not about this.”
***
I spend most of the night packing. As I empty the shelves and drawers of our temporary home, I feel a little like I’m boxing up my dreams. Am I giving up or just retreating? I tell myself I’m leaving because of Pepper. And that is reason enough to go.
But also, I don’t want to be here when Annie leaves.
I don’t have it in me to say goodbye and pretend that I don’t care that she’s sailing off with another man.
And once she’s gone, I’m afraid everything at Norland Park will remind me of her.
The hotel lobby will feel all wrong without Annie’s music.
***
Since last Monday when Annie set sail for Hawaii with Jack, I’ve been walking around in a gloomy trance.
I have a hard time caring about anything except the weather.
I’m obsessed with checking my weather app, especially along the route they would take to sail down the coast. I can’t bear to think of those two on a sailboat together.
The idea is so repulsive to me, I don’t ask Edward or Elinor if they’ve heard from Annie, though I’m anxious for confirmation that she’s alive and well.
Today I’m on a Facetime call with Edward; he’s in Elinor’s office not far from the hotel lobby.
The flowers in the background look like an Annie arrangement, but I don’t really know how long flowers last. She’s only been gone for eleven days, but who’s counting?
Edward is talking to me about the current plans for the new hotel, when I hear the piano in the background.
The song is sad and passionate and so full of emotion. It sounds like Annie, but it can’t be, because she’s somewhere in the Pacific.
I hope the weather is good. I hope they don’t hit any storms. I hope he packed enough food. Jack seems like the type to not pack quite enough food—or a decent first aid kit. I should have done more to keep her from going.
“Do you agree?” Edward asks. I have no idea what he is talking about. I’ve been too lost in my thoughts.
“Who’s playing piano?” I ask.
“Annie, of course.”
“Annie? But isn’t she on her sailing trip.”
“Oh! I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“Jack ghosted her.”
“He ghosted her?” I feel a surge of anger on Annie’s behalf. How dare he? But my anger is swiftly followed by a deep sadness. I know how it feels to be left, and my heart breaks for Annie’s pain. “What can I do?”
“You already punched the guy. That’s a good start,” says Edward with a slight laugh.
“I don’t know, Brandon. Elinor’s really worried.
She says this isn’t like Annie’s other break ups.
She’s taking it much harder this time.” These words douse any flicker of hope I’ve been clinging to that Annie has some feelings for me.
She loved Jack—she probably still loves him—and with a heart like hers, it will take a long time for her to get over him.
I don’t think I’ll tell Pepper that Annie’s single. She’ll want me to go straight to Norland Park and sweep Annie off her feet. And it’s far too soon.
But I can’t remain silent. As her friend, I have to say something.
I send Annie a text.
Brandon
I just heard about Jack. I am so sorry. You deserve better. If you need anything . . .
I consider typing, “I’ll gladly give him another bloody nose.” But then think better of it. Considering that Jack disappeared shortly after I punched him, it’s possible that Annie blames me for the end of her great romance. I decide not to joke about the bloody nose. I simply end with:
I’m here.