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“What are you? My alarm clock, Ri—” I say as I open the door. I stop mid-sentence when I’m confronted by a tall, willowy brunette standing there. She looks embarrassed, nervous, even. Is she lost?
“Hi, can I help you?” I ask her.
“I’m so sorry to just turn up like this, but I can’t stop thinking about the other night,” she whispers, looking around, furtively.
“Excuse me?” I ask, checking up and down the hall to see what she’s looking at. I have no idea who this girl is. “Are you sure you have the right room? I don’t think we’re acquainted, are we?”
“Oh, wow, you don’t remember me?” She shakes her head and mutters something under her breath. “Wow. I can’t believe this,” she says in a low voice. Her cheeks seem to redden as she looks up at me. “I’m sorry. I’ll go. Forget I even came here, okay? I’m sure you will.”
“What the hell? Wait,” I call out, but she’s gone, storming off down the corridor before I can get any answers.
I stand there in the doorway, rubbing my jaw, trying to remember her, with no idea what to do with what just happened. I could ignore it and pretend she wasn’t implying what I know she clearly was, but I can’t do that. I’m about to get married to Darcy.
Suddenly, Rick appears. He’s all smiles, excited, and starts babbling on about the two of us going fishing for the afternoon before the rest of the guys arrive. I just look at him, because who the fuck cares about fishing when it appears I’ve done something foolish to screw up the one good thing I have going on in my life?
“Now’s not the time, dude,” I say, trying to shut the door in his face, but he edges his way inside my room and glares at me.
“Hey! What’s your problem?” he asks me, scowling.
“Nothing. I just have more important things to do than go fishing,” I snap. I push him out the door and slam it shut.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, man?” he shouts from the other side of the door. I lean back against it, put my head in my hands and say nothing. “Well, screw you, Lennon. I’ll see you later… maybe,” then I hear him walking away, muttering under his breath.
I pace the room, feeling anxious, and now I feel really bad for taking it all out on Rick. I shouldn’t have gone off at him like that, especially since he’s paid his own airfare and hotel bill to help with our wedding. That’s if there’s even going to be a wedding. The way I’m feeling right now, I’m not convinced. I need some air, and time to think. I grab my hotel key, leaving everything else behind, bolt out of the door, and run.
***
The music from the pool bar pumps through my body as I lay here on the sand, trying to forget about everything. It’s not really working, but my anxiety is a little more in check than it was. I spent most of the afternoon trying to distract myself from the unexpected visit, first by taking a jog around the island, and then by taking a swim.
Neither worked, so I thought I’d try this. I glance along the deserted beach, keeping an eye out for Darcy. I’m not exactly avoiding her, but if she saw me in the stressed state I’m in, she’d know something was up, immediately, and I don’t even know where to begin with it.
Hell, I still have no idea what the fuck happened with the girl who came to my room. I have zero interest in any woman, other than Darcy. But what if…? I shake my head, my heart pounding in my chest. I’d never do that. I know I’d never do that. I have no idea what Rick organized, but this girl seemed pretty worked up about… something. I had way too much to drink, and now I’m really paying for it by not remembering a thing.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” I look up and squint into the sunlight, Rick’s shadow towering over me.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking a break,” I reply.
“Dude, what in hell is going on with you?” he says, sitting down on the sand. “First, you lose your shit at me, and now you’re sunbathing? Man, come on. We’ve been friends since high school. What have I done to make you so mad at me? Talk to me, Lennon.”
