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Ensley stares at the floor again. “Dodge was a jerk. That’s not your fault. But we have to look out for each other. And I don’t likethe fact that I’m leaving right as Tillie’s made this huge change in her personality.”
Lila crosses her arms over her sunny yellow shirt. “If I can raise a baby on my own, I can manage a brokenhearted sister.”
I want to stomp my foot, but I have to stop myself from doing it. It’ll prove their point. “Who says I’m going to have a broken heart? It’s not like I’m in love with Gabe. I’ve just been banging him.”
All three of them look at me. “Oh, sweet summer child,” Ensley says. “I know the look you’ve got. You’ve totally fallen for this guy. The whole package. The beach. The island. The bar. It feels like fate, doesn’t it? Like a dream made just for you.”
This time I do stomp my foot. “Do you think I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into? I do. So go back to Georgia and live your happy life. I’ll figure mine out.”
I clomp away, out of their room and into mine. I don’t really want to say goodbye this way. Because Ensley’s right. When we go back to Georgia, nothing will be like it was before. Ensley will have moved out. The home duties will be split between only two people.
And there won’t be endless blue skies and turquoise water and perfect beach sand. There will be no swanky panky and light bartending and meeting new people every week because a constant flood of customers comes through to spend their idyllic days drinking cocktails by the water.
I plunk down on the floor of my room at the base of my bed. How am I going to leave this place? Leave him?
I have no choice. None.
Ensley comes in the room and sits on the floor beside me. She wraps her arms around my shoulders. “I might not live with you, but I’m still here. Please call me when you get back into town. We’ll spend some time together. Okay? We’ll get you through this.”
I will not cry. It’s not time for that. I have three more glorious days to spend with Gabe.
Ensley pulls me close for one of her long sisterly hugs. “You are worth every beautiful moment you’ve had this week. And you will be worth every one that’s to come.”
“Is this one of your stupid positivity mantras?”
She laughs. “Just truth bombs, sister. Just truth.”
Drew waits at the door with the bags. “It’s a tiny airport, but we have to get through security.”
We stand up. “I’ll drive them,” Lila says. “You should go find Gabe. We probably scared him.”
I let them go, but when the house is empty, I don’t go to Gabe. It’s a couple of hours until the bar opens, and I need to pull myself together. This is going to end. I am going to have to go home. And Gabe will stay here.
The only smart thing to do is to close myself off. Finishing this romantic interlude is like putting the perfect head on a beer. You can’t keep the tap on all the way to the brim. Shut it off early and let the beautiful foam rise exactly the right amount.
Otherwise, it spills over the top, making a mess, getting your hand and the glass sticky, and leaving you with the feeling that you wasted something.
So I’ll wean myself off him so that the end isn’t so abrupt.
The tap shuts off now.
Chapter 26
GABE
Sunday is long with Tillie tied up with her family in the morning, and then me working the bar the rest of the day. When evening arrives and she hasn’t stopped by, I text her, but she’s off shopping with her sister.
She’s right, I’ve taken her away more than I should have. I shouldn’t lure her to the bar during her vacation.
But the timing feels off. Her sister’s upset. Now her distance. I finally text her the tough question.Are we already done?
She doesn’t respond for hours, but when the words come, they’re not easy.Maybe we should wean ourselves off early.
I shove my phone in my pocket. She’s right. It was going to end anyway. There’s no sense causing a family disruption just to say goodbye.
I’m off Monday, but Mom claims the early part of the day for brunch. I pick up two jerk chicken plates at our favorite roadside shack and head to the lighthouse on the rocky side of the island where tourists never go.
The lighthouse is old and shabby and not particularly picturesque. It was decommissioned decades ago in favor of the new electronic beacon system to ensure cruise ships and other boaters arrive at the safer side of La Jarra.
