“Since we’re being honest,” Jerod speaks up. “I’m having a bit of a moment, man. I’m a huge fan.”
“Thanks for that, but my question for you right now is, are you an honorable man?” I ask him, not taking my eyes off Natalie as fear starts to circulate. She’s headed toward the dark, unlit part of the beach. “Because that’s all I care about right now, and I’m willing to do just about anything for you, if you’ll keep what I just told you in confidence.”
“We all signed NDAs before you got here, and I swear to you, I won’t utter a word.”
“You will eventually,” I say, knowing it to be the truth. “Eventually, you’ll tell someone, but can you do me a solid and wait until I leave?”
“Swear it, man.”
“Thank you. Can I ask one more favor?”
“Anything.”
“Can you please dial my room and let my girlfriend know I’ll meet her at the restaurant in an hour, because I’m going to have to go keep my ex-wife from drowning?”
“Is that how you want it worded?”
“Fuck no, throw a shitload of finesse into that and completely leave out the ex-wife part. I’ll break that to her myself, later.” With that, I start stalking after Natalie as she heads straight toward the water.
“Wait, man,” Jerry speaks up, stopping me. “The restaurant closed ten minutes ago, but you can still order room service.”
Knowing it in my gut, I force myself to search for and find an inch-tall digital clock next to Jerry’s register, just as the minutes on the hour tick over.
11:11.
I make it to Natalie just as her toes reach the water. Her skin sun-kissed despite her pale complexion, her wild curls blowing in the breeze. Aside from the lights of the resort a fair distance away, we’re shadowed in darkness by the night sky. A blanket of stars hovers above us, the moon absent. Even so, I can make out her profile, her light blue sarong coverup outlining her frame as the ocean breeze whips it against her.
“I haven’t seen stars like this since our honeymoon. These look so much further out of reach,” she whispers softly over the sounds of the harsh breeze.
While Mom would undoubtedly call this collision an act of fate, I decide the time stamp Stella Crowne deems such a cosmic sign is insignificant when it comes to me. As of tonight, I’m relabeling fate’s definition—hell.
The mere sight of Natalie on this beach already has faint anger simmering beneath while my heart simultaneously threatens to swell familiarly in my chest. With every second that passes, a memory threatens both good and bad. Mostly good, of her, of us. Throat dry, buzz kicking in, I take a long, much-needed drink of her before I stow it away, leaving myself only one thought.
Why?
Why is life so fucking cruel to let me see her like this, if she can’t be mine? If I can no longer be hers. If we weren’t meant for one another in the way I once so adamantly believed—to the point it made me sick.
Fucking why?
“Make plans, and God laughs,” Natalie recites from feet away, answering my question without being aware of it. “I’ve been talking to myself in bumper stickers, memes, slogans, and mottos all day. I’d say it’s appropriate for the present moment, don’t you think?” She glances over at me, her eyes glassy. “God’s probably laughing his ass off right now.”
“You know I’m not going to be able to leave you here. You know that, right?”
“I don’t want to ruin your night, but I don’t want to go to my room—yet. I’m not…I’m not your responsibility, Easton.”
“I’m not leaving you here,” I state firmly.
“Then I’ll text Damon.” She pats down her dress as if her phone will appear. “No phone. Shit, I don’t even have my room key.”
I pull my phone out and unlock it before extending it towards her.
“I don’t know his number,” she frowns, “I’ve known him my whole life. Is that bad?”
“Does anyone know anyone’s number?” I manage a hint of a smile, not feeling an ounce of it.
“206-792-5959,” she recites, her eyes boring into mine before darting them away.
“It hasn’t changed,” I tell her because the number she just sounded off is mine. So, why didn’t she ever fucking use it?
Don’t go there, East. Dead and buried horse.
“But we have. We’ve changed, haven’t we?” She grins over at me. “Happy birthday, by the way.”