I envy them.
After the day I’ve had, I may never sleep again.
I walk fast, my heels hitting the wooden dock so hard that it reverberates along the boardwalk. I don’t turn around or look back until I’m out of the marina and standing on solid ground.
When I finally dare to glance back, The Medusa is nothing more than a dark shape in the distance. I can’t even pick out individual figures, though I know they’re there.
Watching me.
I duck my head and hurry down the sidewalk, past the beachfront houses and apartments. Laughter and music filters through a few windows, the sounds of carefree people enjoying their lives. How nice that must be.
I leave behind the sand and sea and head to the main road. While I wait for my rideshare to arrive, I scroll through my list of texts and missed phone calls.
The last call from Dane came in about three hours ago. Salma also called once, which makes me snort. As if I actually would have answered. That bitch can rot in hell for what she did.
Despite my better judgment, I pull open my conversation threads and press on Dane’s icon. He’s sent me twenty-seven unanswered messages.
I scroll down to the first one. It was sent right around the time I met Anton on the beach.
Baby, u cant know how sorry I am. this is so fucked up. im so fucked up.
If you’d just pick up ur phone, if u could just come back here, we can talk this out.
I love u baby.
Please believe me, I never meant to hurt u. It was one moment of weakness. And itll never happen again. i love u.
I want you to be my wife. Remember our dream? Buying that house on Kinsey Road? Opening your own restaurant in Hudson Square? We planned a life together… remember that baby?
There are more, but I close the conversation thread in disgust. How had I ever fallen for that manipulative schmuck and his lies?
I won’t make that mistake again. No more shmucks. No more lies.
Which is why I pull out my phone and dial the only person I know I can trust.
“Chris?” I say when he answers.
“Hey, Jess. I expected to hear from you hours ago. Is everything okay?” he asks breathlessly.
I take a deep breath just as I see my Uber turn the corner. “No,” I tell him. “Not even close.”