“Whatever I do with Noah is none of your business.”
Dan seemed to be thinking over what to do next. I understood his hesitation. Nick was scary, especially when he talked calmly and coolly, as he was doing just then. Plus he was older, bigger, stronger. I even felt a little bad for Dan…but not much.
“Dan, you should go,” I said, walking around to Nick’s side.
There was nothing else to talk about. The situation was ridiculous and uncomfortable for both of us. Not just because I was pretending Nicholas and I had something that we didn’t but also because Dan and I had passed the point of no return. He’d told me that himself when he’d admitted he’d cheated on me after I left. So what more was there to say?
“I’m sorry for all this, Noah,” he said, ignoring my stepbrother’s presence.
I bit my lip. I never thought things could end up like this between us.
“I guess we’re just a perfect example of how long-distance relationships don’t work.”
Dan nodded and walked up the stairs, to get his things, I assumed.
“I’ll make sure he gets on the plane,” Nick said. I had forgotten he was there, observing me. I tried to pull myself together. I didn’t want him to see me this way, feeling sorry for someone who didn’t deserve it.
“I’ve got to run,” I said.
I needed that just then—to get away from him, from Dan, from that house, from everything.
As I turned around, he grabbed my arm.
“You okay?” he asked.
Was Nick actually worried about me?
“I will be,” I said, walking off.
* * *
I spent the next hour and a half walking on the beach, thinking—or, rather, trying not to think. I couldn’t deny how much it hurt that I’d probably never see Dan or Beth again or anyone else from my old life. I had no reason to go back to my old city, and that shattered me inside. My boyfriend, my friends, they would have been a reason to, but now…
I ran and ran until my body forced me to throw myself on the sand, exhausted. I looked at the clouded-over sky and asked myself how everything could change so fast. One minute you were one person, the next minute you were a different one.
Without even meaning to, I thought back to the kiss Nick and I had shared that morning. I could almost feel his lips against mine still. It had been so intense. I was scared of what I was getting into, and I had to be careful: I didn’t want to fall into anyone’s trap, and especially not into Nicholas Leister’s.
I had to protect my heart, and the best way to do that was to stay away from anything that made me feel so much when he’d given me so little.
I couldn’t give that power to Nicholas. If I did, he’d be the one person who could destroy me.
On my way home, I got in the water to cool down. My body was burning from the exercise. As I walked along the shore drying off, I ran into Mario, the bartender from Nick’s gang who had taken me to the races.
“Hey, Nick’s little sister,” he said with a perfect smile, pulling on a leash until his dog, a beautiful German shepherd, walked up by his side.
“Hey!” I said, actually happy to see him, and bent over to scratch his dog behind the ears.
“You over the Leister family yet?” he asked. He had a contagious smile and very white teeth.
“More like over everything in general, but I’m still trying to get used to it all.” I tried to hold something back. I didn’t want to weigh the poor guy down with my problems.
We started walking together.
“If you ever want me to show you the town, just say the word. There are places I think you’d love.”
I was thankful for the offer but a little worried Mario might have had other plans for me. I liked him, sure, but I wasn’t trying to get wrapped up in anything. I had enough problems with guys as things were.
“I mean, I haven’t had much time to see the sights, and I don’t know that I will now that I need to start my job.”
“You got a job! Cool! Where?”
“At Bar 48, by the boardwalk. Today’s my first day.”
Mario seemed to be searching for something in the back of his mind, but then he said, “Yeah, I know people there. It’s a nice spot.” But he seemed not to be telling me something.
Just then, we reached the cliffside and the stone steps that led straight up to my yard.
“Come see me when you want. I can’t buy you a drink, but I don’t think they’ll mind if I throw a free Coke your way,” I said.
He laughed.
“I’ll be there. And remember—if you feel like hanging out, my offer still stands.”
I nodded, but without committing myself to anything, and waved goodbye.
* * *
When I climbed the stairs to my room, I couldn’t help but peek into the guest room. There wasn’t a trace of Dan or of his things.
Was I an idiot for feeling sad at the absence of a person who’d hurt me so badly? Whatever. I didn’t want to think about it anymore, so I went to my room, showered, and dressed for work.
When I got to Bar 48, I parked in the lot out front and walked inside. It was a nice place; there were pictures of rock singers on the wall and a stage in the corner where they sometimes had live music. All around were tables with black chairs and a huge bar with all the bottles behind it. When I walked in, the manager, a round woman, told me what my duties would be.
“We all change here. I’ll give you a T-shirt in a sec,” she said, showing me a door in the back that led to dry storage, which doubled as a changing room. “You punch in when you get here and punch out when you leave. If anyone orders alcohol, just ask me or one of your coworkers.”
I nodded eagerly. The job was very similar to the one I’d had before in Canada. I introduced myself to the other three waitresses working my shift, which ran from seven to ten at night. It wasn’t many hours, but with my tips, it would be enough to get by.
The time passed quickly, and I was glad to have something to distract me for a few hours. I got to work right away, taking orders and waiting on customers. Before I realized it, it was ten to ten. That was when Mario walked through the door.
I smiled, surprised he’d decided to show up.
“You look good,” he said, referring to my uniform: a black shirt with the bar’s logo and a white apron tied around my waist.
“Thanks. You want something?” I asked.
“I’ll take a Coke.”
“Something funny?” I asked when I opened the bottle and poured it into a glass for him. His smile was almost awkwardly wide.
“I’m just asking myself why you’re waiting tables when we both know perfectly well you don’t need to.”
“I don’t like other people paying for my shit. I’d rather do it myself,” I said, glancing around to see if anyone needed me. But we weren’t busy, and I could stand there for a while and talk.
I liked this Mario.
“When do you finish?” he asked after a few minutes’ joking around.
I looked at the clock.
“Now,” I said, picking up his glass and setting it on the bar.
“How about I invite you to the movies?”
All I really wanted to do was go home and get into bed. But Mario was handsome and nice, and it would be fun to go out with someone who wouldn’t be a pain. Not my ex, not my stepbrother…
“Today’s not a great day for it, but I could do the weekend if you’re into it?”
Getting down from his stool, he replied, “I’m going to hold you to it.”
We walked out together. I was holding my keys; he had his motorcycle helmet in his hand. I looked up to see the last person I ever expected to find leaning on the hood of my car: Nick.
I stopped and noticed how his eyes went from me to the guy next to me. His whole body seemed to stiffen, and in his eyes I could see a growing rage that I knew he had no problem unleashing. But he forced a smile and walked over. Before I could say anything, he wrapped an arm over my shoulders and pulled me in, so tight I couldn’t move.
“Hey, Precious,” he said. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
“Nick,” Mario greeted him, but without looking over.