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A wicked smile spread across Lily’s face. “I bet you a cup of coffee he does like you.”
I frowned. “You’re seriously placing a bet on that?”
“I love bets! Bets are in all the best romance novels.”
“This isn’t a romance novel, Lil. This is my life we’re talking about.”
Anthony, who could always tell when I was upset, came up to me and pushed his warm body against my legs.
I sighed. “Cole only liked me because he thought I was some kind of high-flier in New York. He liked my ambition, my determination. And he liked the fact we were keeping things casual.”
“That’s why he spent so much time working on your dad’s bar for free, is it? It’s why he took you to the funfair with his kids? And learned to use a fricking pizza oven in his backyard. It’s why he proofed dough for you, Elara! Because he liked the fact you were keeping things casual.”
“Exactly.”
Lily paused and held out her arms. "Do you want a hug, sweetheart?"
I nodded.
Lily wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight. "I'm sorry this is all so hard for you. Being back here and everything."
I sniffed. "It's okay. It's not your fault."
"Sorry I pushed it about Cole, too."
“It’s okay. And I accept your bet, by the way. I look forward to that free cup of coffee.”
Lily looked down at the cup I was holding. “You’re literally already drinking a free cup of coffee.”
“And I look forward to the next one.”
Lily laughed.
I sighed. "I should just go back to New York. This was a stupid mistake."
"I think you should go to the meeting. Maybe you're here for closure. You can go to that meeting, and you'll get strength from seeing him. You'll know, without any doubt, that you're better off without him."
"I don't know," I said. "I don't think I need to."
"You can do this," she insisted, placing her hand on my shoulder. "You'll see him, and you'll know that it was never meant to be. I haven’t seen him in two months—he’s probably all old and yucky by now. I bet he’s really let himself go." Lily looked at her watch. "Yikes. I have to go open up the store soon. Do you want to come with me?"
"No." I shook my head, wiping away the tears that threatened to spill over. "I'm going to hide in here until it's time for my train. Then I'm never coming back to Bluehaven Beach ever again.”
“All right, honey,” said Lily. “I guess I’ll have to start saving up for a ton of train tickets to New York, then.”
“Yes,” I said, pouting. “You will.”
Five minutes after Lily had left, my phone buzzed.
“Jesus, Lily, leave me be!” I grumbled. But the message wasn’t from Lily. It was from Cole.
Hey, just knocked on your door. You not around for the meeting today? I was looking forward to seeing you.
My heart pounded in my chest. I thought about it for a full ten minutes before I typed out my response, my hands trembling.
I'm not there, and I won't be going to the meeting. Sorry. Give my love to the girls.
Panic gnawed at me. I was definitely doing the right thing. I didn't want to see him, didn't want to give him the chance to hurt me again. I saw three dots appear on the screen, but before he could send anything, I blocked his number.
