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He didn’t look back. She didn’t wait to wave goodbye. Every step she took was heavy, as if her feet were chained with iron. She wanted to be inside the house away from his gaze, were he even looking, before she broke into tears. Rory didn’t know why she was feeling like this. It was not as if he were hers to keep. Not as if he had professed his love to her, and yet she had handed him her heart to break.
I am empty and aching and I don’t know why.
The house engulfed her. She barely shut the doors behind her as she rushed in. Throwing herself on the sofa, the same sofa where Arsen Ford had spent the night, she buried her face in the cushion and broke into tears. For once she did not care who heard her. She needed to cry, and she needed to let it all out right away.
17
Considering how upset she was as she drifted off to sleep the previous night, Rory found it funny how soundly she had slept. Usually she woke up a few times in the middle of sleep, but that night she slept like a log. Crying her troubles out must have played a big part. As she stretched herself and let out a big yawn, she felt pretty refreshed.
Given all the problems in her life, the last thing she wanted was to feel groggy. Rory jumped out of bed and started functioning on autopilot, going through the motions like a robot, being very careful not to let any big thoughts rise up in her head. She reminded herself of the bills and the bridesmaid’s dress and unlike before, she didn’t wince.
Rory was sick of shying away from her problems and was determined to confront them instead. I am going to take care of the bills, even if it means asking for a loan from Dad, and I am also going to fit in that damn dress and look fabulous while wearing it.
Rory decided to ask Lizzy for help after all, especially since she had done such a great job getting Rory ready for the party. The party. She immediately brushed off that thought and distracted herself by going to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Rory had a quiet breakfast by herself. Eggs and half an avocado, simple and healthy. After a long time, she sat peacefully and read the local newspaper. Nothing ever happens in Montcove, she smiled to herself. The biggest news in this town was someone’s shop window glass being broken because of the storm. Rory sat there for quite some time, taking it slow, browsing leisurely through each section of the newspaper.
It wasn’t till she came to the entertainment section that a frown came on her face. The page was full of various pictures from Tanya Cox’s Montcove vacation. The newspaper reporter seemed very pleased that such a distinguished celebrity had descended upon their little island. As the anger rose within her, Rory’s eyes locked onto the last picture, right at the bottom.
It was Arsen and Tanya walking into the airport. Smiling, Arsen was ushering her inside the airport and Tanya had a huge grin on her face. As much as Rory hated this woman, she had to concede that even while traveling, she managed to look stunning.
Rory felt numb and her heart sank. How naive am I? Her eyes stared into oblivion, focused on nothingness. She had been warning Lizzy about Mickey. About how he would just use her and then walk away. She had warned Lizzy about a fling with a rockstar, and then she herself had gone out and fallen for one. How stupid is that?
It almost made Rory laugh—and not in a good way. She slammed the breakfast table in frustration. I am nothing but a fool. Thinking that a guy like Arsen would settle for a plain girl like me. She wasn’t completely sure why he had been paying her attention, let alone giving her compliments. He had plenty of girls around him who would readily sleep with him. Rory was certain that all of them were more glamorous and prettier than her.
Was it some strange fetish? Some strange idea in his head? Was I just a conquest for him? Maybe he just got bored of the blonde bombshells that surround him and wanted a simple girl for a change. But then why did he not go through with it?
Tanya Cox.
Both the times Arsen was about to make a move on her, Tanya Cox had interrupted. Maybe I should thank her for saving me from falling deeper into this rabbit hole.
Had Arsen walked into the room at that moment, she would’ve probably thrown a lot of stuff at him. Rory hated herself for being foolish to fall for such a man. She put her head down on the table and closed her eyes. Arsen’s handsome face, with that dimpled smile, came up in her mind. He seemed real. He seemed genuine. Being with him made me feel whole. A part of Rory still believed all that he had said, and she hated that part of herself.
“Enough,” Rory said out loud. There was work to do, and there was no point wallowing in self-pity.
Rory checked her phone, but there were no texts from anyone. There was a call from what looked like her sister’s office phone number and a couple of missed calls from Lizzy’s home phone. I bet she’s calling in sick again. She hadn’t turned up yesterday and Rory had decided to let it slide, thinking that Lizzy probably had a big hangover to deal with, but she would hear about it today if she didn’t show up.
After two hours of going through the paperwork, Rory was sure that she couldn’t handle all of the expenses herself. She had come face-to-face with the harsh reality that she would need to make a solid payday were she to pay for all the maintenance expenses. Unfortunately at this point, she had no prospects and no hope for earning a solid, steady income.
Rory had two choices: either ask—or rather beg—her parents to bail her out, or concede the property to Tara. Maybe she will let me live here as a ca
retaker. There was indeed a third choice, but it saddened her just to think about it—to sell all the inventory in the bookstore at half price and close up shop. She would indeed be incurring a loss, but at least she would generate some much-needed cash.
Rory had to make one of the three choices and she had to make it right away. Maybe my parents will be in a good mood at Tara’s wedding and I can ask them then! As she was without any other ideas, this seemed like a chance worth taking. If not, then it was goodbye to all the precious books that sat in the bookstore. Maybe a sale wouldn’t hurt. I need cash for LA anyway.
Rory had just pulled out a piece of chart paper to make the For Sale sign when she heard the door to the shop open and saw Lizzy’s mother enter. Rory was taken aback for a moment, considering that Marla, Lizzy’s mom, rarely ever made her way to the bookshop.
“Hey, Marla.”
“Rory,” Marla replied, her lips pressed together. Whether she was angry or upset, Rory couldn’t decipher. It was only when Marla’s lips started twitching that Rory knew that something was wrong.
“What’s going on, Marla?” She rushed to the older woman and held her hands to steady her.
“Rory. It’s Lizzy. She has been missing for two days.”
18
It was a sometime after sunset when Rory realized that she had not eaten anything the whole day. She felt starved, even though she was in the middle of a crisis. The day had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and Rory had no clue what to do about the Lizzy situation. What Rory did know was that it was all her fault.
