“I seriously doubt that. Now leave.” I point toward the door.
She hesitates for a brief moment before she makes a beeline for the living room, having yet to put her pants on. I follow her through the house, tear open the front door when I reach it, and freeze when a pair of brilliant blue eyes find mine.
“London.”
She takes one look at me and then at Cat—half naked, hair wild—and forms an immediate conclusion. I see the moment it locks in on her face.
“It’s not what it—”
“Do not say it’s not what it looks like.” Her gaze narrows. “Do not disrespect me more than you already have. You two deserve each other. I hope you’ll be very happy.” She spins on her heel and is halfway to her car before my feet can even think to move.
“London, wait!” I chase after her, desperate to explain.
“Leave me alone, Penn.” She tears open the car door, quickly climbing inside just as I reach her.
“She was here when I got home. Nothing happened. I swear it.”
“Seven years ago, I would have believed you. But I realized something tonight that I should have realized sooner. I don’t know you anymore. I don’t have a clue who the hell you are.”
With that, she pops the car into reverse and squeals out of the driveway like a bat out of hell.
Spinning on my heel, I damn near run right into Cat, who thankfully had enough sense to put her pants on.
“Get off my property and if you ever come back, I’ll call the police and have you arrested for trespassing.” I shove past her.
Jogging back up to the house, I run inside to grab my keys. When I turn back toward the door, Walker is staring up at me, still half asleep and clearly confused.
“Next time a woman, who isn’t London, shows up looking for me, don’t let her wait in my bedroom,” I snap, not waiting for a reply before I storm past him, slamming the front door shut behind me.
“Why are you still here?” I ask Cat, who’s lingering next to my truck. I briefly wonder where her car is or how the hell she even knew I’d be coming home- but have much bigger problems at the moment to really think on it for too long.
“Penn. Can we please talk?”
“I’ve already told you, there’s nothing left to say. I don’t love you. I never loved you. And I’m relieved to not be the father of your child because it means I can be rid of you once and for all.” Harsh, I’ll admit, but I’m done with pleasantries at this point. “I think you made enough of a mess of my life already, don’t you?”
Without waiting for an answer, I jump in my truck and leave her standing in the middle of my driveway as I quickly back out onto the street.
My first stop was London’s parents’ house. I knew right away that she wasn’t there because her mom’s car wasn’t in the driveway. I tried the docks next, not sure why, but I thought it was worth a shot. Of course she wasn’t there either. I tried to call Josie in hopes she could help me out, but she didn’t answer. I drove all around town, looking for her mom’s little white Kia, to no avail.
I’m just about to give up when I have a thought. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth a try. Doing a U-turn in the middle of the street, I head for the cove.
It used to be our spot... Once upon a time.
A secluded little rocky beach a few minutes from town. London and I spent nearly every day of every summer here during high school. It’s the perfect swimming spot, especially since the only people who know about it are locals and even then, not many take advantage of its calm waters and protection from the elements.
I blow out a sigh of relief when I pull into the small gravel lot and see London’s car parked there. As I climb from the truck, I notice a dim glow starting to break the horizon, streaking the sky with a soft orange.
I hadn’t realized how late it was, or how early.
I make my way down the dirt path that leads to the small rocky beach below. It’s still too dark to really see anything, so I use the flashlight on my cell phone to light the way. Tall grass surrounds me on either side, the narrow path giving way to a rocky shoreline.
I scour the area for London but don’t see her anywhere.
“LV,” I call out, hoping she’s not too angry with me to remain silent.
Nothing...
“London.” I try again, a little louder this time.
