“Thank you for inviting me,” I say. “It was really nice of you.”
“No problem. I mean... I needed someone to watch Bria tomorrow. I wasn’t going to fly you in for a day.”
I sit there quietly, watching Bria. I don’t respond. I’m mulling something over in my head, and the streak of courage from the plane has not subsided. I suppose being in paradise with him is making me more daring.
“How did you know that Pride and Prejudice was my favorite book?” I ask, and he looks over at me. He cocks his head, confused. “Your costume,” I add. A look of understanding hits him.
“Oh. Umm… it was Isabel’s favorite book,” he says slowly, and I try not to physically deflate, but I slump a little, frowning.
“Oh.”
He wasn’t dressing as Mr. Darcy for me.
He was dressing as Mr. Darcy for Isabel.
Suddenly, everything comes into focus. I’m sitting here next to Nick, in the place he used to vacation with Isabel. I kissed Nick, because I thought he wore the costume for me, but really, it was for Isabel.
I will always be competing with Isabel.
Is this what I want?
No.
It’s not.
Thirtythree.
Evianna
The next morning, I wake up early. I know Nick is going to be leaving soon. I hop in the shower quickly and change into my bathing suit, jean shorts, and a simple white tank top. I don’t have the energy to do my hair or put on makeup—it’ll just melt anyways—so I just swipe on some sunscreen.
I gather my keys and my phone and throw them into a tote bag with my towel, and after sitting around for a few minutes to kill time, I knock on Nick’s door. No one answers. I try one more time, and then I slowly open the door.
Nick and Bria are still asleep, and Nick has his arms around her in the giant bed. I watch them for a few seconds.
I walk over and nudge Nick. I know he has to leave soon, and he probably overslept.
“Nick,” I murmur, poking him from two feet away. I’m trying to be as platonic as possible. “Psst! Nick!” I whisper.
His eyes flutter open, and when he sees me, they crinkle into a smile.
Well, at least I know how he really feels about me.
It won’t make the next few days any easier, though.
Suddenly, realization hits him, and he turns over frantically, glaring at the alarm clock.
“Fuck!” he whispers, shooting out of bed. “Damn alarm didn’t go off,” he hisses, and he runs into the bathroom. I sit on the bed and turn the TV on. I decide to let Bria sleep.
When he’s finished showering, he runs into the closet and changes, and I try to avert my eyes, but I can’t. His back is to me, and he has pants on but no shirt.
I wonder what it would feel like to run my hands over that back.
I shiver and concentrate on the morning news report.
“I’ll be back really late tonight,” he says to me, tugging on a white button-up shirt. “Charge everything to the room, and call me if you need anything. I’ll be on email, too.”
He grabs his computer bag and walks over to where Bria is sleeping. I realize the cinnamon smell is very prominent now that he’s freshly showered.
It doesn’t help.
He kisses her on the forehead gently and then walks over to me.
“Have a lovely day, Evianna.”
His smile slays me. Once he’s gone, I let out a giant sigh and collapse onto the bed.
*
Bria sleeps until nine. We have breakfast delivered to the beach, and I spend the majority of the morning playing in the sand with her and applying ample amounts of sunscreen to us both. For lunch, I decide that we should go to the restaurant, so I grab the golf cart keys, and we head out. It’s gotten so hot, and I need a reprieve from the blistering sun.