CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
*Lace*
Unable to cope with just sitting here pruning in the water while Coty is out talking to whoever of his club members was tasked with updating him, I get out of the tub, drain it, dry off, wrap myself in a towel, and leave the bathroom.
I stumble on my bag of goodies from the vendor event and start dumping things out in search of the new local indie band shirt I found at one of the radio station booths. Having only gotten one pair of bottoms all day, I dig those out of my weekend bag and put them on over some clean underwear.
Movement through the windows leading to the back porch draws my attention. Through the reflections of the room, I see Coty pacing the length of the deck, hand rubbing across his mouth before dropping hard to his side.
Trying hard not to overthink his body language, since he tends to be pretty high strung on even his best days, I start digging around for my new mermaid blanket with the intention of wrapping myself and becoming a couch burrito.
I find it and pull the heavy bundle into my lap. The clutch Jess bought me drags out with it, one of its gold chains caught in a thread. I carefully separate it, my mouth pulling into a small frown as it leaves behind a small snag.
Not having had much time earlier to really get a close look at the clutch, I slide open the thick golden zipper, spread apart the panels, and pull out the receipt Jess shoved in there before handing it to me. The small piece of paper is thicker than I expect, so I open it. Another piece of paper that was apparently shoved inside the receipt, falls out. I unfold it and discover it is a note, handwritten by Jess.
Lace,
I am so sorry. I had no idea the paper targeted your family until I overheard Gabe talking about it afterward.
Stoney threatened me. Made me promise not to peek. He promised my freedom, Lace, but more importantly, he promised yours. I know that is what you have always wanted. What we have always wanted. More than anything else. The truth is, we both know there is only one way I can truly be free.
I am sick of pizza, Lace. Not just the pineapple, but everything about it.
I can’t eat another slice.
I understand that you may never forgive me. What I did was unforgivable.
But I need you to know that I love you. I love you bigger than your Universe and deeper than your sea.
Jess
Note crumpling in my fist, I launch to my feet, run to the back door, and shove it open, hoping I read into her words wrong. Hoping that, if I read into them correctly, I am not too late.
But I stop dead before crossing the track, my eyes clashing into Coty, wordlessly asking him the question I cannot bring myself to ask aloud.
Coty shakes his head, his dark eyebrows curved inward.
My world stops turning.
Fueled by a raw and unbridled heartbreak so intense, I spin around and bolt the opposite direction, out the front door, down the steps, through the parking area, and down the street.
I run.
Hard and fast.
Begging my heart to rev too high and put me out of my misery, and the Universe to bring me to wherever it took Jess.