Page 61 of My Fault

“I’m sorry for all this, Noah,” he said, ignoring my stepbrother’s presence.

I bit my lip. I never thought things could end up like this between us.

“I guess we’re just a perfect example of how long-distance relationships don’t work.”

Dan nodded and walked up the stairs, to get his things, I assumed.

“I’ll make sure he gets on the plane,” Nick said. I had forgotten he was there, observing me. I tried to pull myself together. I didn’t want him to see me this way, feeling sorry for someone who didn’t deserve it.

“I’ve got to run,” I said.

I needed that just then—to get away from him, from Dan, from that house, from everything.

As I turned around, he grabbed my arm.

“You okay?” he asked.

Was Nick actually worried about me?

“I will be,” I said, walking off.

I spent the next hour and a half walking on the beach, thinking—or, rather, trying not to think. I couldn’t deny how much it hurt that I’d probably never see Dan or Beth again or anyone elsefrom my old life. I had no reason to go back to my old city, and that shattered me inside. My boyfriend, my friends, they would have been a reason to, but now…

I ran and ran until my body forced me to throw myself on the sand, exhausted. I looked at the clouded-over sky and asked myself how everything could change so fast. One minute you were one person, the next minute you were a different one.

Without even meaning to, I thought back to the kiss Nick and I had shared that morning. I could almost feel his lips against mine still. It had been so intense. I was scared of what I was getting into, and I had to be careful: I didn’t want to fall into anyone’s trap, and especially not into Nicholas Leister’s.

I had to protect my heart, and the best way to do that was to stay away from anything that made me feel so much when he’d given me so little.

I couldn’t give that power to Nicholas. If I did, he’d be the one person who could destroy me.

On my way home, I got in the water to cool down. My body was burning from the exercise. As I walked along the shore drying off, I ran into Mario, the bartender from Nick’s gang who had taken me to the races.

“Hey, Nick’s little sister,” he said with a perfect smile, pulling on a leash until his dog, a beautiful German shepherd, walked up by his side.

“Hey!” I said, actually happy to see him, and bent over to scratch his dog behind the ears.

“You over the Leister family yet?” he asked. He had a contagious smile and very white teeth.

“More like over everything in general, but I’m still trying to get used to it all.” I tried to hold something back. I didn’t want to weigh the poor guy down with my problems.

We started walking together.

“If you ever want me to show you the town, just say the word. There are places I think you’d love.”

I was thankful for the offer but a little worried Mario might have had other plans for me. I liked him, sure, but I wasn’t trying to get wrapped up in anything. I had enough problems with guys as things were.

“I mean, I haven’t had much time to see the sights, and I don’t know that I will now that I need to start my job.”

“You got a job! Cool! Where?”

“At Bar 48, by the boardwalk. Today’s my first day.”

Mario seemed to be searching for something in the back of his mind, but then he said, “Yeah, I know people there. It’s a nice spot.” But he seemed not to be telling me something.

Just then, we reached the cliffside and the stone steps that led straight up to my yard.

“Come see me when you want. I can’t buy you a drink, but I don’t think they’ll mind if I throw a free Coke your way,” I said.