AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I thought Kyle loved me, but now I know that was all a lie. He made thatveryclear last night.
As Mel and Ash dive into telling me all about their wedding plans they’ve made so far, I down another wine, and feel myself relax into the conversation, happy to be here with them.
“Can I steal Ellie for five minutes, ladies?” Tyler asks the group, placing his hand on my lower back. I feel the warmth of his touch through my dress, but quickly force myself to push the nice feeling away.
Ally smirks at me behind her wine glass. “Sure, Ty.”
“Come on, El, let’s take a walk,” he says close to my ear, goosebumps flushing my skin where his warm breath hits.
Guiding me away, we each grab a glass of wine and walk to the side of the café that’s furthest from my friends to look at Ally’s work.
“She’s really good,” Tyler says, taking in a beautiful painting of the sun rising from the ocean with a rocky coast and pine trees off to the side.
“She is,” I agree, staying silent for a few seconds as I get lost in the seascape. “So, what do you have planned to make an impression?” I taunt, taking a sip of wine.
He flashes me a wide grin. “Just being me.”
Laughing lightly, I shake my head. He’s so full of himself, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t into it. Cocky assholes were always my type before I met Kyle. But even though he was supposed to be a nice, stable guy, that didn’t turn out so well either.
“Alright, then. Show me what you’ve got.”
“Is that an invitation? Because I can’t exactly undress here,” he says, looking around as if he really was contemplating it.
“Tyler.” I laugh, looking up into his pretty blue eyes.
“See? I made you laugh. I think I’m doing pretty well.”
“Maybe. But don’t think that that means anything.”
Feigning mock hurt, he places his hand on his chest and closes his eyes. “You wound me.”
“I doubt it,” I say sarcastically, and we walk over to the next painting. “Oh, wow,” I breathe, “I really love this one.” Taking a step closer, I study it further. The way Ally painted the light reflecting off the water is so beautiful.
“That’s at my family’s place up in Bar Harbor.”
“It’s so pretty.” In between pine tree covered islands is the ocean flowing out to the horizon where the rising sun splashes the sky in hues of pink, orange, red, and yellow – its reflection on the water a trail leading to the viewer standing on a deck.
“Yeah, my brothers and I loved going there as kids. Our dad would take us fishing, hiking, boating, camping – all of that. We don’t get up there much anymore, but I know Ally loves painting there, so Jake takes her whenever she wants.”
“That’s nice of him,” I say, moving along to the next painting.
“She has him wrapped around her finger.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, I guess.” He shrugs. “I just never thought I’d see the day when he would be.”
“So, a woman has never had you all tied up?”
“Yes.” He winks. “But not in that way.”
Laughing, I shake my head, and we keep walking around the café. “How long are you here for?” he asks.
“I don’t know, actually. I don’t really have anything to go back to,” I tell him, avoiding his eyes.
“Why not?”
“Uh, that’s a long-ish story, but I’m kind of homeless and jobless at the moment.”
