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“I don’t think it will be long before he introduces us. I mean, there’s nothing stopping him this time.”
“What do you mean?” I dare to ask, not sure I really want to hear her answer.
“Things have picked back up between us to how they were before, you know… India.”
And there’s the final nail in the coffin. For months, I thought something was happening between Leo and me. I spent many nights wishing he’d touch me like all women want to be touched. It’s not like I could fantasise and touch myself because then I’m starkly reminded that my hands are now covered in scars and that turns no one on. Why I ever thought he was growing to like me when he can have the likes of Zara, I don’t know.
“I’m sure you’ll meet her if it’s meant to be,” I find myself saying.
“I used to be so jealous of India, but now I think it just wasn’t our time. I was meant to be with him now, with who he is now.”
“What do you mean, who he is now?”
“Have you not heard? He was voted in as the new president.”
Oh that. I knew about the vote and from everything else I’ve heard, I thought it was a given.
I think about making my excuses and leaving but my food arrives. Zara tells the waitress she’ll have her order here with me.
“Actually, I’m surprised you heard. It’s not like he goes back to the cabin much, is it?” she carries on and I busy myself adding ketchup to my burger.
“Not really,” I mutter.
Her smile grows and I’m even jealous of that. I can’t remember the last time I smiled because of a guy.
“I just can’t believe after all this time, I’m back in his bed.”
“So, it’s like that then. He’s definitely moving on?” I ask, cursing myself for wanting to hear the details.
“Well, last night he celebrated a little too hard and wasn’t good for much.” She laughs, adding, “And was up before I could wake him personally.”
Why am I doing this to myself? It’s pure torture. All I can see is her cuddled up to him under warm sheets, both naked and his arm around her.
He made it crystal clear to me that he’ll never get over India, that Zara was nothing but a fuck. Yet, she’s either reading too much into it or he lied to me.
My history with men isn’t the greatest and my first instinct is to believe he lied. Why wouldn’t he? He hates having to deal with anything emotional and will always walk away if there’s the option to.
Thank God I placed my phone screen down. I pick it up and leave it a few seconds before schooling my features and feigning my apologies.
“Sorry, I’ve got to go. Something’s come up.”
I don’t meet her eyes as I take out enough bills to cover my uneaten meal and slide out of the booth.
“Hey, before you go, can I ask a huge favour?”
Freezing, I wish I could move and pretend I didn’t hear her.
“Go on.”
“The next time you bring Rayna into town, will you let me know and we can kinda act like we bumped into each other so I can meet her? If Leo sees her taking a liking to me, he might open his eyes.”
Open his eyes? Shaking the confusion free from my mind, anger soon replaces it.
“Look, Leo pays me well to watch her. I can’t risk losing my job. Besides, you wanna play your games with Leo, he’s adult enough to let you or play back. Rayna is a child, and I won’t stand by and watch you mess with her feelings. She’s a good kid and won’t understand you only want her to like you so her daddy will fuck you.”
I force my legs to move and slam the door open. I still have twenty minutes before it’s time to pick Rayna up and I’m grateful for it. I need to calm down.
The thought of Zara being around the cabin, having to watch her fawn over Leo, turns my stomach. I wouldn’t be able to do it and that brings the thought of the day I won’t be needed anymore. I’ve come to care greatly for Rayna, and I’ll be damned if someone like Zara is going to hurt her by only impressing her for an in with her dad.
