Page 22 of Until Presley (Happily Ever Alpha World)
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
PRESLEY
M y phone rings on the counter next to me, and I glance at it before ignoring the call.
I’m in the lab, studying the stomach contents of a shark that was found dead.
The necropsy revealed that he, along with a few others, was killed by several bullets to his body.
Damn poachers! Coast Guard officials arrested the man and his crew responsible for the act before turning the shark bodies over to us.
Now, I’m inspecting this one to determine what it possibly ate.
My phone rings again. I don’t bother looking at the screen; I know who it is.
I don’t want to talk to them. Ham and I are doing so well, and I’m finding it hard not to tell him how I feel.
He’s so attentive and makes me a priority.
Only in the last few nights has he been busy at the dive school with the guys, doing extra lessons for clients.
When my phone rings for a third time, I decide to answer. I notice it’s not my dad but Thea this time.
“Hello.”
After our fight at Christmas, I’ve only texted my dad. I haven’t called him. I didn’t even call him for New Year’s because I didn’t want to talk to him after what he said about my mother.
“Hello, darling.” Thea’s voice comes across the line. “I know you don’t want to speak to your father, but he has something important to show you.”
“I don’t want to fight anymore, Thea. I’m an adult, and I make my own decisions. I care a lot about Ham. I can see a future with him.”
“Darling, we just don’t want to see you hurt. Please just look.”
My phone pings in my ear, and I pull it away. I see a picture of Ham with a brunette sitting on his lap, and the jealousy hits hard. My heart shatters, and the tears come instantly.
“I need to go.” I hang up and secure my data, along with the samples I was working on, before heading out to my car.
I lean my head against the steering wheel and cry until my shoulders shake. This can’t be happening to me again. A voice deep inside me says, “All men cheat.” But it can’t be true.
I pull up the picture and look at it again. I can’t tell where it was taken, but the woman has her arms wrapped around his neck, and he’s smiling up at her. He’s smiled at me like that so many times.
I wipe my face and make the decision I should have months ago. My studies are more important.
When I pull out of the parking lot, I only have one thought. I’d already closed out the lease on my house. So all my stuff is already packed. Ham is working late at the dive school again, so I won’t expect to see anyone at all.
I have my clothes packed and set a note on the counter for him to see when he comes in.
“Hey, sweet girl, what should we do this evening?” Flo asks from the sliding glass door. She takes one look at me and rushes over. “What’s the matter? What happened?”
“I can’t do this. Please give him this letter. I have to go. Thank you.” She reaches for me, but I step back and rush out the door.
This changes everything. She’ll call him, and he’ll be here before I can get anything packed into my car. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to face him yet. I know my heart will cave, and I’ll listen to his lies, just like I did before.
In the end, I call a service to arrange for my things to be picked up as I head to Miami.
The four-hour drive takes me longer than expected because I have to pull over several times to dry my eyes.
I shut my phone off thirty minutes into the drive.
I couldn’t handle the constant ringing and text message notifications going off.
I have a small studio condo I bought when I was a junior in college because I hated staying in the dorms. I call my service to let them know I’ll be in later so they can get the condo ready for me. I had actually been contemplating selling it, but now I won’t need to.
By the time I pull into my designated parking spot, I’m not just physically exhausted, but emotionally drained as well.
I grab the bag I packed at Ham’s and slowly stumble my way up to my condo.
The loneliness hits me the moment I open the door, and the tears start flowing again.
I lock myself in and walk past the small kitchenette to the main living space where my bed and desk are.
I collapse onto the bed and wrap around one of the pillows as I cry myself to sleep.
There’s a pounding on the door, and I blink my scratchy eyes. I walk over and peek through the peephole. Clara is standing there, huffing. I only open the door as far as the chain allows.
“Turn your phone on, drama queen. The parents have been trying to reach you.”
“Fine.” I try to close the door, but she sticks her hand out to stop me.
“Told you, you couldn’t keep his eye for long.” She sneers at me, and I slam the door closed.
I look around but don’t see my phone. Then I remember the last place I saw it was on the passenger seat of my car. I wait a bit longer, hoping Clara is gone before I make my way down to the parking lot. Sure enough, there’s my phone, exactly where I left it.
I turn it on, and it instantly blows up. I text my father first.
Me
Got your wish. I’m in Miami. I’ll call you on Sunday.
My phone rings, and I don’t bother looking at it before answering, sure it’s my father calling to gloat.
“Presley, where are you?” Ham’s voice breaks through the line. He doesn’t sound angry, just worried. My heart clenches for a moment before I can respond. “Sprite, please talk to me. I’ve been so worried about you.”
“Why? Why didn’t you just break up with me instead of cheating?” I cry, breaking down before I can lock myself back in my condo.
“What are you talking about, baby? I would never cheat on you. I’m in love with you. Don’t you get it?”
“No. Don’t taint those words with this. I can’t talk to you right now. I need time.” I hang up. I send him the picture as proof of his lies, and when he responds back, I’m not prepared.
My Man
That’s fake.
My Man
I didn’t do that.
My Man
I would never.
I block his number, not putting up with his lies. I have to prepare for classes to start— and to be around Clara again.
Ham
T he relief of hearing her voice doesn’t ease the worry.
She’s out there alone, and someone sent her a doctored photo of me.
I look at the image over and over, scrutinizing it for flaws.
I’d never let another woman sit on my lap.
Presley is it for me. She’s been it since the moment she blew me a kiss.
The house seems so empty without her. I sit on the sofa, staring at the touches of her around the room. One of her backpacks with the sharks from Finding Nemo is hanging from the hooks by the garage entrance.
“ Hijo , don’t sit here. Go get our girl back.”
“She asked for time, Mom. I need to give her the time to realize I’d never cheat on her. If I don’t, she’ll always wonder, and I never want her to doubt my love.”
“Let me see it,” she says, and I flip my phone around to show her.
“That’s good. Whoever is messing with you wanted her not to doubt it. I’d believe it.”
“Look here.” I point out where the image has been altered. “That was Presley sitting on my lap. They removed the background and changed it. Then they added someone else to it.”
“But, honey, you have to understand that she’s been stressed out because of her father and school, not to mention the serial killer.” Mom shakes her head. “Then there is also something about her sister I haven’t been able to put my finger on.”
“I think her bully was her stepsister,” I say and slouch back into the sofa. Part of me wants to run to her, but I know she needs to figure it out on her own.
My phone buzzes with an alert from the driveway camera. I open the app and answer. When they announce who they are, I come up off the sofa and rush out the door, meeting them at the gate.
“Hello, sir, we were hired to collect the boxes and belongings for Ms. Blanchard,” the mover says, and I’m pissed. She’s not even going to let the dust settle.
I dial her number, but it goes straight to voicemail. When I text, I notice that it doesn’t show as being delivered. She fucking blocked my number.
“Leave,” I order the man. “If she wants her stuff, she’ll face me.”
This should get her to call me back. I head back inside and resume my spot on the sofa, not wanting to go upstairs again. When I went up there after my mother called, every trace of her was gone except her scent on my sheets and pillows.
I’m not giving up on us.
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting here, but when Walker sits down in the chair next to me, I look over at him.
“Brother, this isn’t how you get her back.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I throw my hands up. “I can’t go to her. We have this dive we have to do. She told me to give her time.”
“You can go. Otto and I got the dive. Go get your girl.”
“I’ll leave tomorrow after I go to Winslow’s. It’s his birthday.”
“Okay, keep me posted. If you need help, I’ll be there. Just don’t get yourself arrested.”
“Why would I get arrested?”
I sit up, and he leans forward, handing me his phone. There, on social media for all to see, is my girl in her bikini glory, blowing a kiss. It was a picture she sent to me, and I’m pissed because it was something special between us. And now, it’s posted for all to see.