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“That was never my intention,” I mutter, shaking my head. “We just…connected. Then it was too late.”
“Okay, but look at it from his perspective. Imagine fifteen or even twenty years down the track, Milly is in her twenties, and you discover she’s with your best friend. How would that make you feel?”
“I’d fucking kill him,” I mutter. I shake my head. But then I’d kill any guy Milly was with. “You don't need to tell me that I'm in the wrong, Mandy. I know that we should’ve told him about us. I just wish …” I shake my head and laugh. “I don't even know what I wish.”
“You wish that he would understand and realize that you and Anna really feel something for each other?” I glance at her because she’s hit the nail on the head. “As I said, give him time. Let him see how much you mean to each other, and he will eventually come around.”
I nod and swallow the last of my coffee down in one hit, before I stand to my feet and walk over to the sink, putting the cup in the dishwasher.
“Thanks for the chat,” I mumble.
“Anytime.”
She smiles at me, and I walk out, thinking about what she said. I'm sure he will come around, eventually, but I’d be stupid to think that things could ever go back to the way they were.Chapter FifteenAnnaI stand at the top of the boat as it slowly moves through the water and pulls into the dock. Dad paces by the exit like he can't wait to get off this thing. That's how much he wants to get away from me. Mandy stands next to him, loaded up with their luggage. I feel bad that this was her first real introduction to me. I don't know her that well, considering this thing with Dad and she is still fairly new, but I do like her. The point of her coming on this trip was supposed to be for me to get to know her—at least, I’m sure that was Dad’s plan, and I feel like we never got to do that.
Maybe once all this over, I can reach out to her and we can do something. I missed out on so many things from not having a mother around that the idea of having someone to go shopping with or to the movies with sounds fun.
I glance down the other end of the boat where Nick is with his kids. I smile at the way they're laughing and joking. I feel bad for ignoring his texts, but I just needed time to think. And now that I’ve had time, I’m sure of what I want.
Kayla sits somewhere in the middle, engrossed in her phone, no doubt in another text marathon with her boyfriend. I shake my head, a wave of nausea hitting me, because I know I have to go downstairs eventually.
Sighing, I grab my bag and head downstairs. When I reach the bottom, I walk over to Kayla. Both Nick and Dad are frowning at me, but I pretend not to notice. I don't want to choose sides. At least, not in front of them. Not while they're in a position to still kill each other.
“How are you doing?” Kayla asks sympathetically, tucking her phone back into her bag.
She wraps her arms around me and gives me a hug. I frown, not sure what I'm feeling anymore, whether it’s anger, hurt, frustration or guilt. Or maybe all of the above.
“I'm sorry. I was supposed to be your distraction, but I didn’t do a very good job of saving you.” She winces. I laugh. “Come on, Kales. Not even you could’ve taken the fucked out of this situation.”
“True,” she agrees. She shakes her head. “Dan catching you and Nick in bed together wasn't exactly something I could work with.” She shudders. “That’s just plain awkward.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” I say with a groan.
Kayla rolls her eyes. “Your dad will get over it.”
“And if he doesn't?”
She shrugs. “If he doesn't, then so what?”
“I'm supposed to be okay with that?”
“Well, what’s the alternative? You can't make him be okay with it,” she says. “The other thing you need to consider is, apart from not letting your dad know right away, you and Nick haven't done anything wrong. He's a good guy. There are a lot worse you could’ve ended up with, like that creep who flashed you outside the library that time.”
I giggle, in spite of not feeling like laughing.
“Thanks, Kales. Thanks for coming on this thing with me, even if it was a train wreck. You’re a good friend.”
“I know I am,” Kayla says, smiling at me.
The boat jolts as it rocks against the dock and a bittersweet feeling washes over me. We’re finally home. Dad and Mandy don’t waste any time before they disappear down the jetty, without looking back. It's what I was expecting, but it still kind of hurts.
