“I’m not sure, he won’t talk to me about it.”
Isla hands me another nail. “Did you mean it?”
“Mean what?”
“That you never wanted to see him again?”
A pain shoots through my chest, and I shake my head. “No, I didn’t mean a word I said that night.”
She hums then walks away. “The boats come into the harbour at two.”
“What?” I look up, but she’s already gone.
Seagulls squawk above,navigating the grey clouds, as I walk down the country lane towards the harbour. I can’t believe I’m doing this. It’s a terrible idea. But I need to know why he’s so angry with me. Whether it’s something I can actually fix.
I approach the jetty, noticing Teddy's car parked on its own. I take a deep breath and head over there to wait for him.
A white refrigeration van sits by the jetty with a small boat anchored beside it. From this distance, I can only really make out the shape of people, but I pick Teddy out straight away, standing taller than everyone else, wearing a grey turtleneck jumper.
Someone locks up the back of the van and it slowly ambles out of the harbour, followed by a few cars. Teddy walks alone along the jetty, tugging on ropes that are attached to the boat. Then he picks up a duffel bag and swings it over his shoulder.
When he sees me, he freezes. For a moment, we both just stare at one another. I begin to wonder if he’s trying to work out how to escape, but then he moves towards me again. His pace is quick, and the deep scowl on his face triggers my defences.
Teddy unlocks the car, throwing his bag in the boot before he slams it shut and heads for the driver’s door.
“Teddy …”
He ignores me, keeping his back turned as he opens the door.
“Please! I just want to talk,” I shout in desperation, reaching out to pull the back of his jumper. He whirls around and pushes his chest against mine. I’m suddenly eighteen again. A shiver ripples through me as one of our last moments creeps forward—our bare, sweat-slick chests pressed up against one another, Teddy brushing my hair from my face, whispering that he loves me as he kisses along my jaw.
“What?” he snaps, yanking me back to the present.
I open my mouth, but no words come out.Shit.This hasn’t happened in years. Teddy is standing so close I can’t even think right. His eyes search mine, waiting.
“I … you … left,” I stutter, trying to ignore the way my heart is racing in my chest.
He frowns and takes a step back. “I left?”
I nod.
“What are you talking about?”
“You left me … why?” I ask, looking at the ground, cheeks aflame, embarrassed that I can’t make the words come out the way I want them to.
“Yesterday? I told you?—”
“No!” Tears prickle behind my eyes. “Twelve years ago. Why did you fucking leave me there?”
“I left you?” he asks. “Bailey, you told me to leave. You said you never wanted to see me again.Youare the one who decided to punish me when I tried to talk to you. Of course I bloody left you.” His fists are clenched so tight the knuckles are turning white, and the tendons in his neck strain as though he’s holding himself back.
“But I didn’t mean any of those things I said!” I yell, balling up my fists to stop myself from grabbing hold of him again.
Pausing, I realise what he just said. “What do you meanpunished?”
He grabs me by the throat and shoves me against his car so fast my head spins. Getting in my face, he snarls, “I don’t know what game you’re playing, Bailey, but I’m not doing it again.”
With that he releases me, and my legs give out. Teddy gets in the car and starts the engine. I scramble away just in time as he speeds out of the harbour.
