* * *
Two months later and I ended up taking Lindsey up on her offer. Dinner and drinks were enough to satiate me for the time being. Problem was, I was only going through the motions. I wasn’t interested in a relationship or even casual sex. Naomi was still somewhere in my mind, but I had given up looking for her. I believed in fate, and it was meant to be, it would have happened by now.
After dinner, Lindsey and I sat on a patio watching the late August sun go down. Although I had enjoyed Lindsey’s company, I found myself measuring her against Naomi, who still visited my dreams nightly. I’d even gone to bed early a few times in the hopes of laying in her arms once more.
Lindsey was charming and interesting, but I’d only gone out with her as she’d begged me to.
“The Labor Day beach party is coming up,” she said. “Are you going?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think you should. With me.”
“The beach isn’t really my thing.”
“You fucking live on one. What do you mean it’s not your thing?”
“I’m probably busy anyway.”
“You’re probably busy? I think you’re making excuses, Devlin.”
I shook my head and sucked down the drink. “No. I don’t make excuses. I make things happen.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think I’m going to head out of town.”
“Why? Where are you going?”
“Wherever my bike leads me.”
She put her hands on the table. “So that’s it? You’re just going to up and leave? I thought that as you had contacted me that you were interested in staying around for a while.”
“I never promised you anything, Lindsey.”
Her face turned sour. “What the fuck do you plan on finding when you get to the next town? Huh? Why can’t you settle down in one place?”
“It’s not what I want.”
“I think you’re scared.”
I chuckled and looked away. “I’m not scared.”
“I think you are. You’re afraid of giving someone a piece of your heart. You’re afraid that if you let someone in, they might hurt you. Haven’t you ever heard the term it’s better to have loved and lost—”
“I’m not a cliché! I know exactly what I want!”
Lindsey froze for a moment before storming off to the restroom. It wasn’t her fault I couldn’t find what truly made me happy. And, in a way, she was right. I was afraid of it.
After a few minutes, she returned. Her eyes puffy.
“Sorry,” I said.
“I know I’m not her,” she said, still looking out over the water next to the patio.
I felt my humility crumble to the ground. “Her?”
“Naomi? Is that her name?”
I lowered my head.
“I thought so. I don’t pretend to be oblivious to the fact that you’ve been thinking of her all evening. I know you’ve been looking for her.”
It was true. I’d searched high and low for her, going to different bars, restaurants, grocery stores, anywhere and everywhere in the hopes of running into her.
Lindsey shook her head, taking a sip of wine before continuing. “I don’t know who this woman is, but she must have been someone spectacular. I wish I could give you whatever she did, but I know I can’t. The one thing I can do is be here for you, be your companion, listen to you when you want to talk. Stop running off, Devlin. Let me take care of you.”
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me.”
“I know you don’t. But you can let me. Give me a reason to get up in the morning. I don’t have anyone else in my life. You know that. Will you go with me to the beach party? Please?”
As much as I wanted to turn her down, I nodded and tipped my drink back.
“Good. You won’t regret it. You’ll have fun. I’ll make sure of it,” she smiled. “Anyway, it looks like I won’t be admiring a ceiling over your shoulder tonight, so I’ve already arranged an Uber to pick me up.”
“So, you’re sticking me with the bill?” I said with a smile.
“It’s the least you can do.” Lindsey stood and kissed me on the cheek. “See you in a couple of days.”
CHAPTER 5
Naomi
“SO, WHAT DO you think?” Mia pranced out of the bedroom, wearing a white bikini with a sarong wrapped around her waist.
I looked up from the couch and smiled. Her naturally dark skin was always flawless, making the white material stand out.
I whistled as she turned around, popping her arms up into the air. “Very nice,” I said. “Is it new?”
“It is. I bought it yesterday and I love it.”
“It looks amazing on you.”
“I was hoping. I’m trying to get Katie’s attention at the beach party.”
“She’s still not returning your calls?”
“No. I don’t know what her deal is,” Mia said softly.
“I thought for sure you two would have hit it off. You are so good together.”