Page 41

AMELIA

The next morning we’re on a ferry to Harbour Island. It’s been an hour, and I totally underestimated how sick the sea would make me. The only good thing to come from this is that we’re going to see the famous Pink Sand Beach.

Maya and Marcus are knocked out. Amir and Tia are cuddled up. Caleb and I sit in the back while the rest of our family and friends fill the seats up front. My mom strolls over, wearing the largest wide-brimmed hat I’ve ever seen.

“Honey, you okay? You look a little dull,” she says, settling on the other side of me. Her hand comes up to press gently against my forehead, her touch warm and soothing as she studies my face.

“The ocean and my stomach aren’t exactly best friends right now,” I groan, clutching my belly.

Tia glances my way, unzipping her yellow bag as she rummages through it.

My dad approaches from behind my seat, smoothing my hair back, completely flattening the curls at the top but I don’t mind.

Tia rises, walks over, and plops down on my lap. She cups my face in her hands and shakes my head side to side a little too fast. “You cannot get sick on me! Not this week,” she exclaims.

“Really, Tia?” Caleb says, rolling his eyes as his sister manages to make me ten times more nauseous.

My stomach churns like butter and the world tilts sideways on its axis. I glare at her, swallowing down the nausea curling low in my gut. “And you just made it worse. Thank you so much for that.”

“Sorry,” she grimaces, pulling her hands back and glancing guilty between my parents. “Morning, Mr. And Mrs. Taylor.”

My dad shakes his head with a chuckle, while my mom lifts Tia’s legs to drape them over hers. I’m forever grateful for the relationship we all share.

“I want to curl into the fetal position and have someone roll me off this damn ferry.”

“Can’t do that. I’d miss you too much,” Caleb murmurs, pressing a featherlight kiss to my temple. “I’ll be right back.” He adds with a small wink before wandering off.

He’s playing the perfect boyfriend. Every small gesture makes me forget we’re not actually together. The light touches on my back, the kisses to my forehead, the way he says things messes with my head. God, I feel pathetic.

It’s not even new. He’s always been sweet to me. But now? Now it makes me want to jump his freaking bones.

“We can’t toss you off because we need you to sing Karaoke on our wedding night.” Amir jokes from his seat.

“I think your ears will bleed if I do that.”

“Lucky for you…you have me,” Tia pulls out a new mini bottle of Pepto Bismol from her bag. “Sorry for making you feel worse but this will make up for it.”

“Thanks. I didn’t even know they made mini’s.” I let out a weak cackle.

She unscrews the cap, raising it to eye level, pouring the bright thick liquid to the line. “Drink up.”

She hands it to me, and I chug it down in one swift gulp.

“Here,” Caleb says quietly as he approaches, holding an ice-cold water bottle and hands me a pack of pretzels.

“Thanks baby—” the words slip out before I can stop. My eyes widen, panic growing. Desperate to cover it up, I start coughing obnoxiously, snatching the pretzels from him, the crinkle loud in my hands.

I’m beyond horrified. Why does the word baby feel so natural coming out of my lips? I never said it to Jared when we were together.

He doesn’t say anything as he uncaps the water bottle and lifts it to my lips. I swallow the cool liquid, feeling the burn of Caleb’s gaze on me.

“Welcome baby,” he grins, sitting beside me as I take the bottle from him.

Pins and needles prick beneath my skin as my face flushes with heat.

My mom shoots me a look that says, “When’s the wedding? ”

She’s been rooting for Caleb and me for as long as I can remember. He is quite literally the perfect man.

“He’s good for you,” my father whispers in my ear before him and my mom walk off to their seats and now I can’t stop smiling like an idiot.

There's a flutter in my chest and I take another slow slip of water. Then I close the top and lean my head back against the seat, it’s a little uncomfortable but I’ll manage.

Caleb slips his arm around me, gently angling my head to rest on his shoulder. A light kiss presses to my forehead.

I close my eyes, nestling closer as his heartbeat thrums steadily against my ear, and it’s the most comforting sound I’ve ever known.

“It’s so beautiful here,” I let out a content sigh, sitting on my knees as the pink particles slip through my fingers.

“Isn’t it?” Tia says, tracing the sand.

“We should plan another trip here.”

“I’m so down for that.” Maya agrees, laying back to get a tan.

“You’ve always loved the beach,” a deep voice behind me makes my body stiffen. My stomach coils into a perfectly tied knot as I glance over my shoulder and there he is.

Jared. His girlfriend's MIA today, she decided to sit this one out because she wasn’t feeling well.

Maya glares up at him, and sits up. If looks could kill… he’d already be zipped in a body bag.

I stand up, dusting the sand off my white cover-up skirt.

“Can I talk to you?” He asks.

Tia shakes her head, eyes flicking between me and Jared. “Maybe you shouldn't.”

“Yeah, go back on the ferry, see how your little girlfriend’s doing,” Maya snaps. “Get lost at sea while you’re at it.”

“Look, I just want to speak to Amelia real quick, that's all. I swear I’m not here to start anything,” Jared says, rubbing the back of his neck.

I heave a sigh.

I can’t avoid him forever. Maybe talking to him is what I need to close that chapter before I even consider telling Caleb how I’ve been feeling.

“It’s fine,” I say softly, glancing at my girls. “I’ll catch up with you two later?”

Tia nods, but Maya on the other hand, shoots Jared a death glare. Tia gently shoos her away as they stroll toward Amir, Marcus, and Caleb near the umbrellas they set up.

Jared and I walk along the water, in silence for a few seconds. It’s funny how once upon a time I was so in love with this man.

“Sorry. I’m a little nervous right now.” He clears his throat. “We haven’t talked like this, alone, in a while.”

Wow, such an incredible observation Sherlock Holmes.

“Anyway, I wanted to say again that I’m truly sorry for what happened between us, there’s no excuse for what I did.”

The memories flood back to me again in an instant. Vivid and sharp. His phone lighting up. The text messages. The sinking feeling in my chest that made me feel like I was being weighed down by the ankles.

I bite the inside of my cheek, meeting his gaze. His eyes are familiar, warm, exactly like they used to be and it makes me wonder why he ruined us?

“I’ve always wondered if I was the problem.” My voice is low, almost fragile.

“No.” His eyes glisten with remorse. “God, no.”

“So why did you do it?”

He reaches out to lightly touch my hand, and I flinch, not expecting the contact. But I don’t pull away… not yet.

“I was so stressed with work and I felt like our relationship was…” he exhales, giving my hand a light squeeze, “losing its spark at the time.”

Ouch.

“And you didn’t think to talk to me about it? Give us a chance to figure it out? You just decided to cheat?” Anger boils in my stomach, but I try keeping it at bay.

“No!” He lazily tilts his head forward, frustrated. “I didn’t mean to?—”

“Who was she? Was it Kim?”

He shakes his head quickly. “No. It was just some random girl I met at a bar. Amelia I promise that month, I didn’t feel like myself.

” His eyes lock on mine so intensely, it’s like he’s trying to etch his words into my memory.

“I never meant to hurt you, us, I regret it every day since,” his voice raw. “I loved you, you know that.”

I swallow hard, tears threatening to spill. He loved me. Yet, he still did what he did. How could I believe anyone else after this?

“I always knew you weren’t really mine.” He steps closer, his presence looming over me as our hands remain in each other's.

Those were the exact same words he threw at me back in LA.

“I saw a future with you. Why the hell do you keep saying that?”

“You may have seen a future with someone else,” he corrects me. “That’s why I’m not surprised.”

“Surprised?”

“You and Caleb. He’s looked at you the same way since I met you. He’s been in love with you since high school, and it’s about time he finally admitted it.”

Time slows…Loved? Since when has Caleb ever looked at me in any way in high school? We were always friends, strictly platonic. There were no moments in school or even in college where he has ever flirted with me or insinuated at anything more. He was just being kind.

“It never bothered me because you never reciprocated it,” he continues, gently rubbing the back of my hand.

“But remember when he bought that wireless heating pad and brought it to school because your stomach had been cramping all week? I didn’t even think of that.

When we first started dating, I felt like the world’s shittiest boyfriend. I couldn’t compete with him.”

Memories tumble back in… every moment Caleb was protective, attentive, always showing up without being asked. But as quickly as the thought comes, I try to shake it off. That’s what best friends do, right?

“It wasn’t a competition. You were still my boyfriend, Jared.”

“I know that and I’m a piece of shit for what I did to you.” His voice cracks. “It just got harder for me to accept that he’s the one you were always meant to be with. I was selfish. I’m glad you two found each other, but I’m sorry I hurt you along the way. I hope we can someday be friends again.”

I nod solemnly, a quiet weight settling in my chest. I don’t think me and Jared could ever be friends anytime soon but for the sake of Tia and Amir, we can be cordial moving forward and grow from this.

“Thanks for giving me the chance to talk to you again.” He gives my hand one last squeeze before walking away.

This was the closure I’ve been needing. It doesn’t erase the pain he caused me, but it’s something I’ve been longing to hear.

Could Jared be right? Has Caleb loved me all along…and just been too nervous to admit it?

Should I be the one to tell him first?