In all my life, I have never had an issue like this. I always drew the line between business and pleasure very clearly but somehow, Nathan Cowe had me crossing that line. I was stuck and unable to move forward.
I finished my food in silence and sipped on the milkshake. It was banana flavored and it was honestly really good but I wouldn’t admit it to anyone, not even under duress.
Nathan paid for our meals and we went back to the inn. As we got closer, I noticed a lone figure standing there, Bailey.
She was in a plaid shirt and overalls that were stained with paint. She saw me and I knew that I was the one she came looking for. I approached her with caution while simultaneously looking around for Joseph. The last thing I need is to be surprised by his presence.
“He’s not here.” She said quickly and I raised a brow, “I was wondering if I could talk to you. Darius mentioned that you would be leaving tomorrow.”
“I have to go pack,” I began but she cut me off.
“Please it will only take five minutes.” The last thing I wanted was to talk to her and I could have said no but something had me nodding.
She let out a sigh of relief and sat down. I turned to Nathan to explain but the look in his eyes told me that he understood and he walked into the inn.
I exhaled deeply and took a seat opposite Bailey, “Does he know that you’re here?” she shook her head. “Then why are you here?”
“I wanted to apologize.”
“There’s no need,” I assured her.
“I have to please. In the store I saw how hurt you were and I truly didn’t realize the magnitude of what had happened until I met you. In my head I had kind of imagined you as this fictional person. Then, I met you and you were so nice to me, so much that I just felt horrible and I am so sorry.”
“Like I said earlier, there is nothing for you to apologize for.” She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off, “I am sure that you are an amazing person Bailey but I really don’t need you apologizing right now. I understand that it is to clear your conscience but it is not going to do anything for me except remind me of things that I would much rather forget.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me. You did nothing to me.” A tear slipped from her eye and I watched her wipe it away, “I’m not trying to hurt you but it’s true. I was never upset with you because I don’t know you.”
She stayed silent and I knew she was debating whether or not to say something. I watched her, giving her the time she would need to gather her thoughts when I saw a light flash from her phone in her breast pocket. She probably put it on silent which is why she doesn’t know that someone was calling her.
“I searched your name on the internet yesterday,” she admitted keeping her head down, “I saw the articles and I saw what he said. I never wanted any of that to happen and it was all my fault.”
“Last I checked, it takes two to tango so,” I shrugged, “Besides, you didn’t post that article and you didn’t force anyone to do or sayany of those things to me. With or without the scandal, they would have found a way. The situation just provided an opportunity for that and it is not your fault.”
She was staring at me as if I had grown a horn or three. Her mouth bobbed open and close like a fish out of water and I honestly started fearing for her ability to speak and whether it had been impaired.
“I thought you would be mad at me.” she said finally, “I would have been mad at me.”
“When you spend most of your life living like I do, you learn the right places to channel your anger and Bailey you are not the right place.” I stood to my feet, “You should go home and rest. You are obviously overwhelmed and in the last few minutes your phone has rang at least three times.”
She reached into her breast pocket and pulled out her phone. She winced when she saw the missed calls.
“Thank you for talking to me.” she said signaling the end of the conversation, “I really hope you enjoyed your stay at Bea’s.”
I didn’t respond mainly because there was nothing to say. I watched her put her phone to her ear and from the way her shoulders relaxed when she listened to whoever was on the other side of the phone, I guessed it was Joseph.
I was supposed to go back to the inn but somehow I found my feet leading me past it and towards the lake. When I got there, I saw a familiar figure sitting at the edge and I rolled my eyes playfully.
“How did you know I would come here?”
He didn’t look up as he spoke, “The last you would do after that kind of stressful conversation is leave yourself cooped up in thatroom,” he tapped the spot next to him, “Sit down sunshine, we need to have our own stressful conversation.”
I knew he was right but it didn’t stop me from shaking my head as I sat next to him. I was content with living in this blissful bubble and I didn’t see a need to burst it before I had to. Reality was going to set in sooner or later and I chose later.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I said as I faced the peaceful lake wondering why my life couldn’t just be like that- calm and undisturbed.
“Adira, we would have to, sooner or later.”
