And so much of that has been because of the grumpy, complicated man that I’ve grown close to. He’s opened up more to me in recent days. Now, I know he hates peanuts with a passion but loves dogs more than any other animal. He never makes two carvings the same, and he signs all his pieces with a tiny carved E, even though I’ve yet to find out what the E stands for.
And that his family has told the world he’s dead. And if I ever ask about them, he shuts the conversation down and his eyes glaze over with what I can only describe as a heart-wrenching sadness that makes me want to bawl for him.
For whatever reason that he won’t share with me, they’re all living their lives in New York, while he’s here.
Alone.
“Did you tell Callum you were getting railed by your hot vacation romance? Is that why he hasn’t been calling?” Mel pipes up.
I screw up my nose at hearing his name. “No. I blocked his number.”
“When?” Mel sits upright on the bed.
“Yesterday. I wanted to enjoy our last couple of days here without him ruining it. I should have done it ages ago.”
“Hallelujah!” she sings, bringing her hands together. “He’s going to be beating himself when he sees you again and realizes what a jerk he’s been to have lost you.”
“He’s probably still screwing Kelly,” I mutter, the old twist of hurt in my gut no more than a teeny niggle of discomfort now when I picture the two of them together.
“They’re welcome to one another.” Mel snorts in disgust.
She continues watching me as I throw a couple more overnight items into my bag and zip it shut.
“You can spend tomorrow night with him too, you know?”
I whip my eyes to hers. “What? No. Tomorrow is our last night. I want us to spend it together after the group dinner. We came together and you’ve been here for me through everything. I want to spend it with you.”
“Okay.” She smiles happily. “But if you need that time to say goodbye to lover-boy, then I understand.”
“Thanks.”
She really is the best friend a girl could wish for. But this is a vacation fling. And I need to ignore the fizzing electricity in my veins every time I lock eyes with him. And how I break into a grin when I hear his voice. And how my heart beats impossibly fast and I struggle for breath when he cups my face and kisses the hell out of me.
And how in a few short weeks, the idea of walking away from him has become…
I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry.
Oh God, this is going to sting like hell.
“How about this one?” I brandish the lump of driftwood in the air proudly.
Slade walks over, his lips pursed as he takes it from me and studies it. “Yeah, good find.”
I beam as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, planting a kiss into the hair by my temple.
Letting out a sigh, I intertwine my fingers with his as we walk barefoot along the shore, letting the salty water lap at our feet. It’s almost sunset and the sky has erupted into a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, and pinks.
“You don’t get sunsets like this in New York,” I say, leaning into his side.
“You don’t get a lot of things you can have here in New York.” He exhales slowly like he’s tired.
I twist my head up. “Are you going to show me your place now? I’ve only waited like a millennium for it.”
A muscle in his cheek twitches, his eyes glittering as he looks at me. “So demanding, aren’t you, New York City?”
“Stop avoiding the question, Cowboy.”
“Fine. Come on, it’s this way.”
