by T. A. Foster
He was wearing a smirk and a pink polo. He had popped the collar. “It’s a party.” He downed the rest of whatever was in his cup.
“Now that you’ve seen it, why don’t you leave?” Just being this close to Brett set me on edge.
I had seen that look in his eye before. The one that gleamed when he stumbled upon a party that was like a free night in Vegas. Brett in Vegas was a scary thing. I never thought he would be here tonight. If I could have done anything to prevent this from happening, I would have. Why didn’t I predict this party would draw him in like a moth to a flame?
“Whoa. You sound a little hostile. Still upset about the breakup?” He leaned over to whisper in my ear.
I stepped back. “No. I’m not upset about the stupid breakup. Why would you even say that? I’m upset about you. Where’s your date?” Brett looked surprisingly unattended.
“About that. I totally meant what I said about keeping my options open. They are wide open.” He winked.
“Eww. Are you implying what I think you are?”
Everything about this made me feel sick. I spent over a year of my life with a complete douchebag. I was sick with myself for thinking it was ok to coast through life with a less-than-passionate relationship, and I was sick that I had been with Brett, someone who never truly loved me or kissed me with one ounce of magic.
He touched the side of my arm. “Were you this hot when we were dating?” His smile widened. “I might have ended things too soon.” His hand moved from my shoulder to twirl my hair through his fingers. “I kind of like that new haircut on you and your boobs look awesome in that dress.” He paused. “I think I miss you, babe.”
I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I stood, stunned as Brett continued. “Want to get a drink? Maybe try out the Island Sun. It’s got to be better than this place.” He cast a look toward the two rows of rooms.
My stomach flipped and I repressed a gag. I wanted to punch that smile off his face, but after the night I dumped the drink in Grey’s face, I had resolved to stop being so rash. I promised Grey I would only use my self-defense skills in times of real self-defense, which I hoped meant never. I couldn’t have everyone in Texas thinking I was a female boxer.
“First of all, there is nowhere better than the Palm.” I was feeling overprotective of the motel I had worked so hard to make bright and shiny. “And second, you were right to end it. I should have broken up with you a long time ago, but I was so used to doing everything you wanted, I just started going through the motions. I’m the one responsible for it dragging out until it met a slow pathetic death. What a waste of three semesters. I didn’t love you.”
His eyes flashed a wounded look and I thought I might have gone too far. It never occurred to me I could hurt Brett. A slap to the face might have been kinder.
He hung his head. “Yeah, I was right. There’s nothing for me here.” He stepped back on to the wooden platform, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked toward the party.
“Brett, wait. I didn’t—”
However, two strides into chasing down my ex and screaming his name across the boardwalk, I saw Grey staring at me from the pool deck. Shit. Shit. Shit.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
My heart was racing and my feet were like cement blocks that wouldn’t move fast enough. I had to get to Grey. From his vantage point, he saw something that I could explain, but not if he didn’t give me the chance.
He had disappeared into the luau crowd, and I searched the hundreds of Hawaiian shirts for the one I had laid out for him a few hours ago. It was light blue with oversized yellow hibiscus flowers plastered all over it. At the time, I thought it would look cute in pictures with my yellow dress. That seemed sort of absurd right now. I wanted to clear out the entire parking lot so I could find him and straighten out this disaster. Every time I pushed one drunk boy out of the way, two more emerged.
“Where are you going in such a hurry? Did you see Grey? He got here about twenty minutes ago.” Marin walked toward me.
Shit. He might have been standing there the entire time I was talking to Brett. He saw the hair twirling and everything.
“I’m going to check the room. I sort of lost him. Do you know which direction he went?” I prayed she knew where he was.
“No, but if I see him, I’ll tell him you’re looking for him.” Marin looked concerned.
“Thanks.” I ran to the room, hoping he was waiting for me. “Grey? Grey?”
I should have told him about Brett the first time he asked me why I was spending spring break alone, but I thought it would make him not want to be with me. It was like a big curse hanging around my neck and I didn’t want anything about my ex overlapping with Grey. In South Padre, I could be who I wanted. I wanted Grey to see me as a strong independent girl who loved to travel alone, try new things, and love with every ounce of fire I had. I didn’t want him to look at me like a broken-hearted college girl who got dumped and humiliated. That part of me was gone the moment I checked in to the Palm Palace.
The room was dark and empty. I sat on the corner of the bed, and that was when it hit me. I knew exactly where he was.
***
“Hiding out?” I approached him cautiously, but relieved I had found him. This was the last place I thought to look.
“Something like that.” His eyes never left the shoreline.
“Can I sit?” I tossed my sandals at the entrance of the dune alcove.
Tonight there was no towel, just sticky sand, but I wasn’t worried about the conditions. I was worried about Grey. I tucked my knees underneath and positioned myself close to him. The muscles in his neck were tense. I could see them flex as he tilted back to drink from the longneck bottle in his hand.
I tried to breathe in and out, and ignore the swells surging in my stomach. It was hard to fight the desperation and panic. We felt so disconnected, and it was my fault.
“Can you believe the turn out for the party? It’s huge. I think half of the island is at your motel.” I smiled sweetly. “Mindy and Tara are selling tickets left and right.”
He clasped the bottle tighter.
“Looked like it.”
“I don’t have a tally yet, but I bet we hit out goal.” I shifted a little closer to him in the sand.
“Hmm.”
“Did you see Mac and Renee dancing? They looked so cute together.” I was reaching, trying desperately to talk about anything.
“I don’t want to talk, Eden.” His voice was low and even.
“But—”
He took another swig of his beer.
“Grey, say something. Ask me something. Anything. I think I know why you’re upset. It wasn’t what it looked like—or I don’t even know what you saw or how long you were standing there.” I waited for him to throw questions at me, but he stared toward the horizon.
I tried again. “Talk to me.”
“No, thanks.”
“Do you want to yell at me?” The silence between the dunes was deafening.
He turned to look at me. “Would that make you feel better?”
Oh my God. He was completely cold and calm. My eyes stung from the tears that had started to form. My breathing trick wasn’t working at all, but how could I handle this? He was being completely irrational.
I stood and brushed away the sand that had collected along my legs. “I’ve been waiting for you to get here all night, and I wore this dress for you, and—” There was no hiding the tears from him no matter how much I didn’t want him to see me cry. “—and you won’t give me a chance to explain. If you don’t care, then I don’t care. I’m not going to stand here and argue with a statue about something so stupid. I didn’t do anything wrong.” The longer he remained silent, the more indignant I became.
I retrieved my sandals from the ground. “I have to get back to the luau.”
I paused long enough to give him a chance to say something or walk in my direction, but he stayed planted in the sand, staring at the horizon.
> Right there in that sand dune alcove, for the first time in my life, my heart broke into a million pieces. I turned before he could see another tear fall on my cheek.
***
I heard the horn from the taxi for the third time. I wasn’t ready to leave. This could not be how I left South Padre. I sat on the bed, refusing to accept that Grey never came home last night, or that he never called or left a message. The driver laid on the horn again. He was going to wake the guests if I didn’t go.
I folded my note in half and tucked it under Grey’s pillow. Maybe he would find it tonight when he finally returned. He was probably just waiting for me to clear out of his room so he could reclaim his space. The stack of tens and twenties from the luau totaled three thousand dollars. I shoved it in Grey’s bedside table. At least I had accomplished my goal with the luau.
With my new beach wardrobe crammed into my carry on, I closed the door to room twenty-four behind me and walked toward the cab.
***
Monday classes were the worst, especially on the Monday after spring break. My laptop was open on the desk and every few seconds I typed in what my business marketing professor had said. My ears and hands were on autopilot. I couldn’t tell you a single thing from that lecture other than the windows really needed to be cleaned. The bare branches outside had a smudged look.
“Don’t forget on Wednesday you need to hand in your proposals for your marketing papers. See you then.” The professor gathered her lecture materials and dashed past the students before the room was half-empty.
I had forgotten all about that paper. It was such a relief to make it through mid-terms that I had given myself permission not to do homework until I was back in class.
Taylor was waiting for me outside of Murphey Hall. “Ready for lunch?”
Her class was across the quad, and we always had lunch together on Mondays. It made the day more bearable.
“Yes. Could we go to Sutton’s? I think I need a grilled cheese and orangeade.” I tightened the straps on my backpack.
“Aww, of course. Comfort food it is.” Taylor gave me one of those pity smiles that made me feel even worse.
We walked into the Franklin Street drugstore and took the last available booth. Usually we had to wait for an open spot. Sutton’s was a popular lunch destination. It occurred to me that maybe not everyone had come back from spring break yesterday. I sighed.
“Eden, I’ve never seen you like this. You’re all mopey. It’s depressing.” The waitress came over to take our orders. “Two enormous orangeades and grilled cheeses with fries, please.”
“I can’t help it.” I slumped into the bench.
“Have you tried calling him again?” She threw her backpack next to her.
“I’m on the verge of being a stalker, which I’m positive is something I said I would never do. He hasn’t answered his phone or the office phone.”
I could only imagine how busy Grey was today with twenty-three rooms to take care of by himself.
“What about email?”
I looked at my friend, who was trying desperately to help me. “We didn’t exchange emails.” I didn’t even get his phone number until after the debacle at Pete’s.
“There has to be something you can do to get him to listen to you. Brett is such an asshole.” She whispered Brett’s name like it was an unspeakable word.
I rearranged the ketchup, salt, and pepper on the table. “This is one time when it actually isn’t Brett’s fault. He was just being Brett.”
“You can’t be serious. You’re letting him off the hook for this?”
“I should have told Grey that we broke up three days before spring break, and I didn’t. I didn’t want to scare him off. So, now I’m here and he’s there. It’s my fault.”
The waitress smiled as she dropped two red plastic baskets on the table. “Here you go. Two grilled cheese sandwiches, extra fries, and the biggest cups we have for orangeades.”
Taylor and I smiled at her like she had just delivered our first meal in days. We devoured the lunch. I hadn’t eaten all day.
I pushed the empty basket to the edge of the table. “Enough about me and my stupid mistake. You haven’t told me anything about Myrtle Beach.”
Taylor smiled. “It was Myrtle Beach. I don’t have any hot, sexy stories to share.”
“But you had fun?”
“Total blast, but I was ready for it to be over.”
I could not relate. I was prepared to live the rest of my life in spring break paradise with Grey. Although, that was a silly daydream. What were we going to do? Live on South Padre and run the Palm Palace together? I tried to tell myself that it was a ridiculous idea.
I heard the chime on my phone and frantically dug through the front pocket of my backpack searching for it.
“Oh, answer it. Answer it. Maybe it’s Grey.” Taylor was excited as I was as I searched for my phone.
I looked at the number on the screen. It was a Texas area code. I inhaled before answering. “Hello?”
“Eden, hey, it’s Marin.”
My heart sank.
“Oh, hey.” The hope I had been holding onto for the past thirty-six hours shriveled.
“Sorry, I’m calling you from work. My phone died. I forgot to charge it last night at Pick’s place.” Marin sounded giddy as usual.
“No, it’s fine. I’m glad you called. How is everyone?” Maybe she had news, or better, a message from Grey.
She laughed. “Still recovering from Saturday night. That was a party. The Island Sun heard about the luau, and now they want to plan one here this Saturday. I don’t think I can survive two in a row.”
“I know what you mean.” I was glad the luau was a success, but it didn’t go how I expected.
“I was just calling to say hey. How did you and Grey leave things? When are you planning your next trip to South Padre?”
She didn’t know. The island rumor mill hadn’t heard that I spent my last night alone, waiting for him to come home. I tried to process what that meant about Grey.
“He’s not talking to me.” It came out almost like a whisper. I did not want to start crying in Sutton’s.
“What the hell? Why? What has that hardhead done now?” I could hear her Texas accent picking up steam.
“No, it’s not him. It’s because I’m an idiot. I never told him about the breakup, and he saw Brett and me together at the party. He thinks something, but I don’t know what. He wouldn’t let me explain and he never came home.”
“You mean you two didn’t say good-bye?” Marin’s shock resonated through the phone.
“No.”
“That Grey Lachlan. He’s such a stubborn ass sometimes. Listen, Eden, I’ve got customers at the desk, but I’ll call you tonight to talk. Pick’s taking me to a late concert so I can call after work. Ok?”
“Thanks, Marin. Talk to you later. And tell Pick I said hey.”
I hung up and slid the phone in my bag. Marin was my lifeline to South Padre, and I was just a little sadder now that I had talked to her.
“Who was that?” Taylor sounded slightly jealous.
“One of the girls I met in Texas. She graduated a few years ago and works at the resort now. She was super sweet. I think you’d like her.” I shook my orangeade cup, disappointed I had finished it so quickly.
“Does she know anything about Grey?” Taylor reached for her backpack and slid out of the booth. A line had formed at the door and at least ten people were waiting for a seat.
“No. I wish.” I didn’t want anyone running interference between Grey and me, but I wanted to know something about what he was thinking or feeling—anything.
A mischievous smile spread across Taylor’s face. “We need to get your mind off this Texas boy. Could I tempt you to skip your econ class and go to the movies with me instead?”
I knew there wasn’t a movie, song, or other person who could take my mind off Grey, but I was willing to give it a try. “You don’t have to ask twice. Let
’s go.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Three weeks had passed since I had flown home from South Padre. I had settled back into my class routine, and most days managed to go for long stretches without debating whether I should call Grey. The answer was always no.
Taylor peeked around the corner of my bedroom door. “Hey, can I borrow your pink skirt? That cute one with the little flair? I’m going to a mixer tonight if you want to come too. This is the last one before the graduation parties start.”
I looked at her brunette hair, piled high on her head in a messy, but stylish twist. “Sorry, that skirt was in my suitcase the airline lost. It was one of my favorites. You know I haven’t heard from them. They should at least cut me a check if they aren’t going to cough up my luggage.”
Taylor twisted a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, you should get replacement funds for everything in there. Ok, back to my closet. I’m on the hunt for something cute to wear tonight. You want to come with?”
“No, I’m not up for a party, but let me call the airline and then I’ll come help you.”
“Yes, please. I need it. I have no idea what to wear to this thing.” She shuffled down the hall to her room.
Taylor had tried for weeks to get me back into the social scene, but I couldn’t imagine hanging out with other guys. I wasn’t ready; I didn’t want to be ready.
I had saved the number and tapped the airline’s name on my screen, prepared for the twenty-minute run-around I usually received. I had completed a claim form upon my arrival in Texas. This should have been taken care of weeks ago.
“Hi, this is Eden Brady. I need you to track a claim number for me.” I huffed.
The woman on the other end waited for me to announce the numbers.
“Miss Brady, you’re bag was delivered.” She said it so matter-of-factly.
“Delivered? What do you mean?” I hopped off my bed and walked to the front of the apartment. I hadn’t heard a knock, and Taylor and I didn’t see a notice on the door when we got back from class, but just in case, I opened the door to the empty breezeway.