A shoulder I’d kissed last night.
She turned our direction, spotting her parents first. Her smile was breathtaking. It fell flat when she looked over her father’s head and found my face. Her eyes widened as she rushed our way, like she was coming to their rescue. “Hi. What’s, um . . .”
“We bumped into Cal at the motel,” her mom said, looping her arm with Darius’s. “We’re going to grab a table for breakfast.”
Before they could walk away, I stopped them. “Mr. Rivera.”
Darius turned. “Yes?”
I pulled off my shades so he could see my eyes. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
Kylie’s eyebrows rose. Nellie’s mouth parted.
We all knew why I was apologizing.
Darius gave me a single nod before he escorted his wife into the restaurant.
Nellie waited until her parents were inside, then her hands went to her hips. “This town isn’t big enough. You have to move.”
“This again? Not happening. Besides, I figured you’d be out exploring the area today.”
“We’re meeting for a late breakfast.”
“Then the next time you come over for a fuck, mention your schedule. I’ll do my best to accommodate.”
Her nostrils flared. Beautifully furious. “Please tell me you didn’t make that sort of comment to my parents.”
“No. But it’s good to know that I’m your dirty little secret.”
“Oh, and I suppose you tell people about us.” When I didn’t respond, she rolled her eyes. “That’s what I thought. Don’t want the world to know you’re screwing the scholarship kid, right?”
No, that wasn’t why I hadn’t told anyone. I hadn’t spoken about it because I wasn’t sure what to say.
“Whatever,” she muttered. “What was that about? The apology to Dad?”
I shrugged and put on my sunglasses. “It was overdue.”
She gave me a sideways glance. “We’re going to wander around downtown today.”
“I’m just grabbing some food. Then I’ll stick close to the RV.”
“Thank you.”
“It’ll cost you.” That remark earned me another eye roll.
“Of course, it will.” She raised her chin. “What do you want?”
“Tell me what you hate about me.”
She frowned, looking past me to the windows of the café.
I followed her gaze, seeing her parents in a booth beside the glass. Darius was watching us as he pretended to read his menu.
“I hate that you’re a liar,” she said.
Ouch. It stung because she was right. “Can’t argue with that.”
“Bye, Stark.”
“Bye, Rivera.”
She hurried into the café while I continued down the sidewalk. Whatever appetite I’d had was gone, replaced by rocks in my gut, so I turned around and retraced my path to the motel.
She was right about more than me being a liar. This town wasn’t big enough.
Did I really want to bump into her at random? Last night she’d been beautiful and naked in my bed. Then this morning, she was back to the woman who’d learned long ago to keep up her guard where I was concerned.
Maybe sex was just part of that barrier. Maybe it was a way for her to keep me in a box. Casual. Physical. Shallow.
And one day, when she was tired of that box, when she wanted more and met a man who could give it to her, she’d cut me off. It was destined to end.
When I arrived at the Winnebago, I went straight for the closet.
And while I waited for my laundry, I filled my suitcase.
CHAPTER TWELVE
NELLIE
For the tenth time since I’d unrolled my yoga mat at The Refinery, I glanced out the windows toward the street. Besides the instructor pacing the sidewalk while talking on her phone, there was no sign of Cal.
There’d been no sign of Cal for a week.
Not since last Saturday when he’d walked downtown with my parents.
I’d assumed he’d simply been avoiding public spaces while my family had been in town visiting. The apology he’d given Dad had been . . . nice? And totally out of character for Cal. He rarely admitted his mistakes. I’d figured his absence was another anomaly, and for once, he’d been heeding my wishes.
But since he’d moved here, Cal had been a constant irritation. Going a week without seeing him was unsettling. Where was he?
Neither Mom nor Dad had mentioned Cal during the rest of their short vacation weekend, though Dad had been quieter than normal as we’d wandered up and down First. Maybe one day we’d talk about Cal. Probably not. After all this time, there just wasn’t much to say. What was done was done, and Dad had moved on.
My parents and I’d had a bittersweet farewell at the airport last Sunday with tight hugs goodbye. I’d already booked a trip to see them at Thanksgiving, and they were hoping to return to Calamity this fall.
Other than missing them a bit more than normal, my week had been fairly mundane. Without Cal popping up at random times, life had been almost boring.
I’d been sure he’d come to yoga today to torment me.
The door opened and my eyes flew to the glass. I hated that I hoped to see his broad frame cross the threshold.
But it was Larke who breezed inside the studio with a yoga mat tucked under an arm. She waved at me, stowed her shoes, then took the space beside mine. “Hey. Phew. I thought for sure I was going to be late.”
“You made it just in time.” Class started in two minutes. And still, no sign of Stark.
Larke relaxed onto her mat, sitting in an easy pose. “Have you ever been to Hawaii?”
“Yes.” Hawaii always made me think of Cal. “Why?”
“I was thinking about booking a quick vacation over the school’s winter break. Escape the snow. Maybe make it a girls’ trip since the chances of me finding an actual man to take to the beach are dwindling daily. Would you want to go?”
“Definitely.” Whenever it was, I’d make it happen.
“Yay.” She smiled, unaware to how much that invitation meant.
I’d never been invited on a girls’ trip.
In college, I’d watched girls leave in packs for their spring break vacations to Florida. Meanwhile, I’d stayed behind and worked extra hours. My most exciting winter break had been junior year when I’d flown home to Denver and had helped Mom deep clean and organize her kitchen cabinets on Christmas Eve. The years after I’d graduated from UNC had been just as uneventful.
A few years ago, I’d rented a tiny cabin in the Colorado mountains to get away from the city for a weekend, but I’d gone alone. Any other vacations I’d taken were usually working vacations when I’d accompanied Pierce to wherever he was traveling.
That was why I’d traveled to Hawaii.
Pierce had been going through a lot in his personal life. He’d wanted to get out of Denver for a week and clear his head, except he hadn’t wanted to go alone, so he’d invited me along to hang out.
Cal also decided to play the role of supportive friend, and as a surprise, he showed up just hours after we’d arrived.
To this day, I wondered if his shock at seeing me answer the door was genuine. Knowing Cal, he’d shown up just to irritate me.