by Elyse Riggs
The sand is still warm from baking in the sun all day when I make my way across to the Beaky Tiki. I slow the pace of my walk when I see the familiar silhouettes at our regular table.
I feel guilty about it all somehow, like I should have seen it coming. And talking about it is the last thing I want to do, but I might as well get it over with. These two know me even better than Mia and Gwen.
I get to the table and try one last time to fake a smile but apparently I’m really bad at it.
I scoot my chair in while the two of them analyze my facial expression.
“Okay,” Fi says, putting her drink down, “who do I have to kill, Angie.”
“Oh my God,” Kaylee chimes in, “it’s Jake, isn’t it? Please tell me he didn’t fuck this up.”
“That son of a bitch.” Fi jumps back in. “I cannot even believe this shit. What did he do now?”
Kaylee sits back in her chair. “Please tell me this isn’t about Jake.”
“It’s about Jake.” I get the words out without bursting into tears, so that’s a win.
Fi pours me a glass of punch. “Alright, then. We’re here for you, Angie. You might as well start at the beginning.”
I recount the whole morning in as much detail as I can remember, no matter how hard it is to verbalize. It helps.
The day was a jumble of emotions and attempting to explain them in order helps solidify things in my mind. Kaylee and Fi listen patiently, thoroughly, and quietly until I’m done.
Then I take a very long sip of my punch, not stopping until I hear the slurping sound at the bottom. Then I get a refill. It’s going to be that kind of night.
There’s a long pause.
Kaylee goes first. “I can’t believe he could possibly be that stupid.”
“Oh, I believe that part,” Fi adds, “I just can’t believe he’s the one who isn’t sure what he wants. I mean, you saw his face the last few days, right, Kaylee? He’s not smart, for sure. But honestly, I’ve never once seen him as happy as he was with you.”
Kaylee takes my hand. “Sweetie, are you alright?”
“Yes.” No. I’m not alright. I feel like I had my heart ripped out of me. Again. And not gently like surgery. Primally, like in that Indiana Jones movie with the voodoo witch doctor.
Fi squirms in her chair. “Hang on, let me get this straight. All this was over a text from Jake’s agent, right?”
“Right.” It’s true. “It underscores the fact that our relationship and everything I thought we had was a bullshit scam, and I guess I should be thankful for that. But yes, it all started this morning with the text. All these weeks have been nothing but a game to him.”
Fi grabs a chip. “From his agent.”
“Yes,” I answer getting a little annoyed. “From his agent.”
“Well,” Fi says, “I say call him. He deserves to know what he’s done.”
“Call who?” I ask.
“You know. The agent.”
I never thought of that. “Yeah, but Fi, I don’t blame the agent. I blame Jake.”
“So? That guy stirred everything up. Why not spread the misery? I say you ruin his night, since he ruined your morning.”
I frown. “You mean call him right now? Are you serious?”
As if in answer to the question, Kaylee pulls out her phone. “What’s his name?”
“Um, Chad Lowe. He’s a pretty big name in the sports agent industry from what I understand. Jake swears by him.”
“Chad Lowe?” Kaylee asks.
“I think so.”
Kaylee slides her phone over so I can see a picture. “Oh yeah, that’s definitely him.”
“So, call him?”
“This time of night? He’ll never answer.”
Fi shrugs. “Worth a try. You show him, Angie. Believe me, I’ve been in this position before and it always makes me feel better. Sure, he’s not Jake, but you do not want to see Jake. You hear me? You stay far away from him. That means you gotta find somebody else to take it out on. And for better or worse, Chad Lowe’s the only other person involved.”
“Alright,” I say, not believing I’m actually going to do this. The fact that I’m even considering it must be because of the Beaky Tiki Punch. I tap in the number that Kaylee found. Then I stare at the numbers. Then I hit the call button.
I wait and listen. It rings. It rings again. All of a sudden I feel silly. He’s never going to pick up and even if he does, I have no idea what I’m going to say. This was not as good an idea as I thought ten seconds ago.
“Hello?”
The second I decide to hang up, he actually answers, throwing me off guard.
“Um, hello?”
“Who is this?” his voice is terse.
Fi and Kaylee nod, egging me on. I can’t believe this is happening.
You can do this, Angie. It’s his fault for answering. “Hello, Chad, it’s Angie. With Jake Mann. We met at the workout at Riley Field the other day.”
“Oh, hello, Angie. I remember. It was nice meeting you.”
Oh shit. He sounds nice. And friendly. And he remembers me. I waver, but the looks that Fi and Kaylee give me remind me why I called him in the first place. “Look, Chad. I saw the text you sent Jake this morning. Uh-huh. The one about using me to make Jake look better so that he could land another team.” I can’t believe it. I said it out loud. What’s he going to do now?
“Yeah, that was brilliant. All he really needed to do was stop getting bad press, but getting good press by dating his high school sweetheart and helping out in the community? That part was genius.”
I take a deep breath, trying to formulate a thought about some of us not liking the idea of being used as nothing more than a bargaining chip in high priced sports negotiations.
Some of us are human beings with feelings, Chad. You ever think of that? I consider telling him it was all a rouse, a scam. That Jake only did that to fool the other teams into taking a chance on him.
But while I’m still thinking, Chad continues. “Hey, since I have you on the line, will you tell him that the Eagles want to fly him out? They need a viable tight end pronto since their starter went down. This is it; the opportunity Jake’s been waiting for. This could be a legitimate long-term gig. Chilling out helped teams to listen to reason, but that workout was classic Jake. I haven’t seen him like that in years. The fire was definitely gone. Whatever he had going for him these last few weeks? Tell him to bring it with him. It’s his only chance, and probably his last one.”
I don’t feel angry anymore, I just feel sad. Maybe Jake and I aren’t supposed to be together. Maybe we just have shit timing. Either way, I don’t feel right standing in the way of his dream. I’m also not speaking to him, but Chad doesn’t need to know that.
“Hey, Chad,” I say, finally getting a word in edgewise, “I think you should be the one to tell him.” Then I hang up.
“What’d he say?” Kaylee asks.
“He said Jake pulled it off. He’s going to get one more shot at the NFL. And I’m not going to stand in his way.”
Fi pulls at her ponytail. “What did Jake say about it?”
“He doesn’t know yet. It’s just as well what happened this morning. If it didn’t happen today, it would have been tomorrow or the day after that. I should have known it was only a matter of time and then he’d be gone again.”
“You had no way to know,” Kaylee breaks in, “this time he had me fooled too.”
Chapter 42
Jake
The next morning I wake up hungover. Bill’s words are still echoing in my head from the night before.
Groaning, I get out of bed and make some coffee. It sucks because the coffee reminds me of Angie. Breakfast reminds me of Angie.
I take some aspirin and start to feel a little better. Looking out the window at the ocean also reminds me of Angie. Maybe coming back to St. Tropic was a mistake.
Everything about this damn town reminds me of how much I care about Angie. I fucking dreamed
about her the whole time I was gone.
I had her. And it was all I hoped for and then some. But now she’s gone again. And now I realize that the empty feeling I fought the entire time I was gone was because I missed her. All the trouble I got into, all the reckless choices I made. It wasn’t her fault, of course. It was because I couldn’t be honest with myself about my feelings.
Because I refused to think more than ten seconds into the future. And now I’m looking at a permanent future that doesn’t have Angie in it and my gut is all twisted up into knots.
My cell rings. Maybe it’s Angie. I leap over the coffee table to get to it as quickly as possible when I realize it’s not Angie, its Chad. Shit.
I’m disappointed, but there’s nothing I can do. I might as well answer it. “Hi Chad, what’s up?”
Chad says he has good news. Says he already told Angie, but she wanted me to hear it from him. Hold on. What the hell is he talking about? Am I crazy or did Chad just say he talked to Angie? On the phone.
“Hold on, Chad. You’re saying you talked to Angie? When?”
“Last night. She called about the community service or whatever.”
Oh shit. I know she’s mad. Did she rat me out? “What did she say?”
There’s a pause on the phone. “I guess I did most of the talking. She sounds great, though. A keeper. Hang onto that one. Anyway, I got you an audition with the Eagles. They need a tight end like yesterday. Could be long term. This is it, your last chance. I have no idea why, but the last few years you’ve been nothing but suck. But that last workout was primo high dollar, Jake. Whatever you had going for you, and I don’t want to know what it is so don’t tell me, bring it with you to the Eagles or else. Your plane leaves at four, so don’t be late. Hey, and Jake?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t fuck this up.” Click.
Chad hangs up leaving me alone with my thoughts.
Chapter 43
Angie
I wake up and decide its time to make some changes in my life. I have to learn to live without Jake. Okay, that’s true but it’s very vague.
I need a way to make positive change in my life right now. This minute. Suddenly, I know exactly what to do. I march right into my kitchen, unplug that old broken coffee maker, and throw it away.
It feels like a tangible if small victory. Tomorrow when I wake up at least it won’t be there taunting me. That also clears me to head over to Ocean Wave and get my favorite drink again.
That puts me in a better mood and before you know it, I’m at the cute, hipster coffee shop.
The barista gives me a sly smile as he looks behind me. “Where’s your other half?”
I blink. It takes me a second to realize that he is talking about Jake.
“You know,” he continues, “really tall, deliciously handsome, and when you’re around a big, goofy smile?”
I lean forward. “I’m sorry, what?”
“He came in yesterday afternoon and got a coffee. Looked like he lost his best friend or something.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” I answer. I grit my teeth. This is the universe testing me. I will not think about Jake. I will not worry about Jake. He can take care of himself. In fact, it’s what he’s best at.
I get my coffee and continue on to work. Hopefully, I passed the universe’s test for today. I don’t feel like I’m about to burst into tears anymore, so hooray for that. What I have now is just a sad, hopeful feeling that a Jake-less future might be waiting for me somewhere out there after all.
I decide to count my blessings. My vet practice is finally thriving. After Jake gave me the boost I needed, we switched all of our marketing focus to small-town, extra special one-on-one care that your pet deserves.
I believe Cara’s exact words were your pet is not a chicken nugget, so don’t treat it like one. Get the expert, personalized care that your furry friend deserves. Or something like that. Whatever it was, it worked wonders, and now the Animal Universe Incorporated clinics are squabbling with each other and trying to keep up with me.
I pull into the strip mall and as usual, park far away. From my vantage point, I spot both Fi and Kaylee in Kaylee’s car, a brand new bright blue Cadillac Ecalade. It makes me smile. I can also be thankful that I have such great friends.
I sneak up on them and knock on the window. It rolls down.
Kaylee wears a sheepish smile. “Shit, Angie. You scared me almost to death.”
I raise an eyebrow at her.
“Fine, you caught us.”
“Rule number one for blending in,” I chide, “don’t show up in a brand-new bright blue eighty-thousand-dollar vehicle.”
“I told you,” Fi says.
Kaylee laughs. “Hey, don’t give me that look, Angie. You know damn well we’re here on the lookout for any giant NFL tight ends that might try to sneak in and ruin your day. We’ve got you, girl. You can go to work without worrying about getting emotionally waylaid.”
That sounds amazing. An opportunity to concentrate without having to worry about Jake. I have the best friends in the history of the world. “Thanks, guys. That really helps.”
Chapter 44
Jake
I pace a hole in my living room carpet trying to figure out what to do. This is it, my last chance. Honestly, I’m surprised I even get a last chance. I probably don’t deserve it, but it’s there just waiting for me all the same.
Shit, shit, shit. The only one I want to share this excitement with is Angie. And I’ve screwed it up again.
What am I going to do? If I don’t get on that plane, I’m done. But if I get on that plane without talking to Angie, then I know I’ll never get another chance. Maybe I didn’t even deserve this one.
That thought hits me hard. I don’t deserve her. I know that it’s true. I also know I don’t want anybody else. Ever. Trying to live without her was hell. I can’t go through that again. But what do I do?
I look at my watch. It’s two-thirty in the afternoon. She probably won’t listen to me, but I have to try. It’s time to finally be honest with myself about my feelings.
My feelings. I remember the talk with Bill. And suddenly I know exactly what I have to say. The truth. I could kick myself for taking this long to figure it out.
But now that I know what I have to do, I’m a man on a mission.
A minute later, I’m running down the stairs and to my car. First things first.
I pull into the strip mall where Angie’s vet practice is located. I know there will be obstacles. Land mines. Best friends. They’re here somewhere, I can feel it.
I park far away and scan the parking lot, but I don’t see Angie’s or Fi’s car. Is it possible that if I finally caught a break?
Out of time either way, I head to Angie’s front door as quickly as my legs will carry me. As expected, two women materialize out of nowhere to block my path. How do they do that?
“Back, foul beast,” Fi says, making the sign of the cross with her fingers.”
Kaylee nods and scowls at me. “Yeah, Jake. Get fucking lost. Angie’s been through enough because of you. We’re not going to let you hurt her again. We should have never let our guard down in the first place.”
I hold my hands up. “Hey, I’m just here to talk.”
Fi pulls out a can of mace and aims it at my face. “Wrong answer, mister.”
Kaylee takes a step back from Fi. “Yeah, you take your stupid scam somewhere else, Jake, I’m sure you can find another girl to prove you’ve turned your image around. Leave ours alone.”
Fi’s a loose cannon. If even Kaylee steps away, feeling like she’s going to pull the trigger, then she’s probably going to pull the trigger.
I take two steps back. “Whoa, Fi. Hang on.”
“Get lost.”
“Nice comeback,” I say. Then I check my watch. Holy shit, it’s three-thirty. And it takes at least twenty-five minutes to get to the airport. My window is closing fast. I could very well miss out on my last
chance with the NFL and lose Angie forever too at this point.
“What’s the matter?” Kaylee asks, “you got another date?”
“No,” I say, getting desperate. “I just want to talk to Angie. I have to talk to Angie. You don’t understand.”
“She’s off limits to you,” Kaylee answers.
Fi’s expression softens. “What do you mean you have to talk to her.”
“What are you doing, Fi?” Kaylee asks.
“Look at his face,” Fi answers.
“Stop talking like I’m not here,” I add, feeling left out. But I have to wonder what she means when she says look at my face.
“Remember that night in high school when he came over to my house, freaked out because Angie got arrested?”
Kaylee and I look at Fi like she’s insane.
“He’s got the same look on his face as he did then,” she says to Kaylee before she turns her gaze back to me. “Jake, I’ve known you most of my life. I’ve only seen that look on your face once. You were scared, and in that moment, you would have done anything to help Angie. You said you were going to go in to take the rap, remember?”
“Yeah,” I say, not sure where she’s going with this.
“You’d have lost your scholarship for sure. And who stopped you? Hmmmm?”
“You did, Fi” I answer. “Hey, Angie got away with it, I would have too.”
“You’d have cracked, Jake.” Fi says.
“Oh yeah,” Kaylee says, “you wouldn’t have lasted five minutes.”
Five minutes. Shit. That just reminds me that I’m out of time. “Shit, girls. You’re right, you know me. And I’ve been an asshole, for sure. And I’m sorry. Really, I am. But listen. I love her. Honest. In twenty-five minutes my flight leaves for the airport. If I’m not on it, my career’s over.”
Fi keeps the mace trained on me.
Kaylee checks her watch. “Jake, why are you here, then? You’re not going to make it.”