Chapter Eleven

Digging her toes into the sand, she looked out on the lake as her phone hung in her fingers. She was done writing for the day and knew she didn’t have much left to go in the book. She wasn’t sure how she’d gotten anything done when she could still taste Theo all over her mouth, but she had. If she was honest, the sex Travis and Ashley had just had for a chapter and half was some of the hottest she had ever written. But she felt dirty. Awful. She wasn’t a cheater, but she was pretty sure that little kissing session she had with Theo in the kitchen was cheating at its finest.

And the thing that bothered her the most was that she almost didn’t regret it. She regretted it because she was with someone, someone she did respect. But she didn’t regret it because for the first time in months, hell years, she’d felt something. Something wild and amazing. Her soul sang and it was beyond beautiful, but she knew it was wrong. She glanced at her phone, hoping that Montgomery had texted her back. Alas, he hadn’t.

She didn’t understand how her life had gotten so crazy. She also didn’t like when Theo had said she had come there for a reason. Was it really to get away from Montgomery? Was she using the excuse of writing as a ploy to get away? Was she running?

Shit. She was.

When someone sat down beside her, she jumped a bit until she realized it was Delaney. “Hey.”

“Hey, girl, surprised to see you alive.”

Gen’s lips quirked, though she didn’t smile. “Yeah, I’m alive.”

“Hey, you don’t have a black eye. That’s good.”

“Yeah,” Gen said, though she didn’t care.

“Why you out here alone? Isn’t the cat out of the bag?”

She nodded, looking at Delaney. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I promised him I wouldn’t,” she answered simply.

“Why would he make you promise that?”

Delaney exhaled heavily and then shrugged. “Well, back when you used to visit, I did it because he was my cousin’s best friend. Now I do it because I got into some serious trouble with this guy online.”

Gen’s brows drew in. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged, shaking her head. “I met up with this guy. He seemed okay online, but when we got to the restaurant down in Elmont, I started getting a weird vibe from him. I went to the bathroom, and when I came out, he was waiting there. Scared the shit out of me, but he said he was only wanting to make sure I made it to the table okay. But it felt off, ya know? So when we got back to the table, I texted my cousin. He didn’t answer, and I started to panic, so I texted Theo. He came right on up there, and when the guy started freaking out because Theo came to get me, Theo popped him dead in the nose.” She paused, inhaling as she looked out into the lake. “So when he bought the Blu, he asked me never to tell you, that he wanted to do it. So I did. I could have been overreacting about the guy, but nonetheless, Theo came to my rescue.”

Gen took in the profile of Delaney’s face and smiled. “I wasn’t mad.”

“Oh, I know, but I owe you an explanation. I mean, we are friends.”

Gen nodded. “We are.”

They shared a smile. “So, friend, how is everything? You look…confused. Yeah, confused.”

Gen laughed as Delaney grinned over at her. “Things are nuts.”

“What? You’re on vacation. How are things nuts?”

Gen bit her lip as she shook her head. “Theo kissed me, and I kissed him back.”

“Damn,” Delaney sang, and then she was counting on her fingers. “You knew about him for what, twelve hours, and already attacked him? I’m impressed. Not surprised, but impressed.”

Gen rolled her eyes. “Don’t be. I’m still engaged.”

“So? You’re breaking it off, right?”

“Probably, but still, it’s disrespectful and rude. I’m not that girl.”

“Everyone knows that, but sometimes things just happen.”

“I should have controlled myself.”

Delaney giggled. “I mean, Theo ain’t nothing to roll an eye at. He’s always been a tall glass of heaven.”

Gen scoffed. “I know, but I know better. He wouldn’t want that done to him, and now I’m doing it to Montgomery.”

Delaney shrugged. “I get what you’re saying, and you’re right. So just tell Montgomery.”

“He won’t answer the phone.”

Delaney gasped. “Jesus, you were really gonna tell him?”

“Yes!” Gen laughed. “I was in the wrong. I didn’t want to tell him over the phone or break it off like that, but I can’t let it go that long, ya know? It will be like I’m hiding it.”

Delaney shook her head. “You’re a good woman, Gen.”

“I feel like junk.”

Delaney shrugged. “That’s the whiskey.”

That made Gen laugh as she rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe Theo’s here.”

“Believe it. He’s been waiting for you.”

“Another thing I find hard to believe.”

“Eh, it’s true,” Delaney said with a grin, but then she clapped her hands together. “So, what are you doing right now?”

“Nothing, I guess, since Montgomery won’t answer my calls or texts.”

“Cool, come with me. Randy Goosemen’s house just came up for rent, across the lake from my mawmaw’s.”

Gen made a face. “You’re gonna move out?”

“I’m thirty, it’s time.”

“Delaney.”

“Okay, she’s pissing me off, and I’m gonna scare her. She’ll see us looking. Come on.” As they got up, Gen laughed as she shook her head at her friend. She was pretty sure Delaney wouldn’t move out of her mawmaw’s house until the day she moved in with her husband. “And then afterward, we can head to the town square for the pre-Fourth party.”

Gen stopped her. “Will there be whiskey?”

Delaney nodded. “Yes, but none for you. Everyone is still talking about how you upchucked all over Theo.”

Gen’s face warmed, but she wasn’t surprised nor bothered by everyone talking about her.

That was the charm of small-town living.

When they reached the little one-bedroom cabin that sat right along the banks of Kentucky Lake, Gen gasped loudly. “Oh, Delaney, this is gorgeous.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Delaney threw open the door and got out, and Gen did the same as she continued to take in the little home. She knew it was only one bedroom because that’s what Delaney had said, but she almost didn’t believe her. It was so small and cute, almost like a studio apartment. She wasn’t sure, but she had to find out. After she ran to catch up with Delaney, they went in, and she oohed and aahed some more. To her surprise, the inside was bigger than the outside let on.

The living room was adorable, with space for probably just a couch or maybe a chair and nice big desk. The kitchen was small, but still had everything a girl would need to cook. The bathroom was adjacent to the one bedroom, which was slightly bigger than the living room but had a beautiful patio off it, looking out at the lake. It was spectacular.

“I think you should live here.”

Delaney laughed. “Nope, don’t need to. Plus, why move when I pay nothing where I’m at?”

“Because this place is breathtaking.” A smile sat on Gen’s face as she exhaled loudly. “Look, you can sit here and—”

“What, fart? I don’t do anything cool.”

She gave Delaney a dry look and shook her head. “I’d write. Right here.” She ran her hand down the kitchen table. “Or on the patio. Either-or.”

“Then you move here.”

That made Gen laugh really hard. “Yeah, right. I couldn’t.”

“Why not?” Delaney asked, and Gen laughed some more.

“What? Be real, I couldn’t live here. I have a life in DC.”

Delaney held her hands out to Gen. “That’s about to end once you call off this thing with Montgomery.” Gen’s smile slowly faded as she realized Delaney was speaking the truth. “I’m sure I can get them to hold it for you. Or hell, put a deposit down, and it’s yours.”

Gen could only blink. She hadn’t even thought about what she would do when she ended things with Montgomery. She knew she would be asked to leave the house, with good reason, but would she leave DC altogether? Her mom and dad. Her friends… Well, obviously she didn’t have many since no one had called her since she left, but still. Crap.

Before she could answer Delaney, though, her phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she found it was Montgomery. “Excuse me,” she said as she went out onto the patio, shutting the door as she answered. “Hello.”

“You called,” he said, very rushed and monotone.

“I did. I wanted to apologize for last night.”

He said nothing. She could hear him typing, but that was it. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think it’s right that my fiancée is out drinking without me.”

“You drink without me all the time, and I don’t complain.”

“Because I’m with colleagues, friends.”

“I was with friends.”

He let out an annoyed breath as he snapped, “Whatever. What are you doing now? What did you need?”

This was a shitshow, she decided. “I’m looking at this adorable little cabin with Delaney.” When Gen was met with silence, she asked, “Hello?”

“Looking at a house, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s really pretty. It’s on the lake, only one bedroom, but it’s adorable—”

“So is that where I’m sending your stuff?”

She paused. “Excuse me?”

“What, Gen? It’s a pretty simple question. It’s obvious you’ve moved on, looking at houses and all that. Was that a lead-in to let me know we’re done? That you’re calling everything off?”

Taking in a shaky breath, she shook her head as she shut her eyes. “I’m with Delaney, she’s looking at the house.” He didn’t answer back, and she rolled her eyes. “I don’t understand what your deal is and why you assume the worst about me. But you know what? Yeah, I’m done.”

He scoffed. “I’m not the least bit surprised.”

“Wow, no?”

“Nope, I knew you were done the moment you left. So what, you’re fucking around on me?”

“I would never,” she insisted, but then she pressed her lips together. “I’m not you. I don’t fuck people with I’m with someone.”

“Whatever you have to say to make yourself feel better, Genevieve.”

“What the hell, Montgomery—”

“Nope, nothing else to say. Send me the address, and I’ll ship your stuff.”

“Wait,” she demanded, anger vibrating through her body.

She fully expected to hear a dial tone, but instead, she heard, “What?”

“Are you fucking around on me again?”

“Please,” he laughed. “I don’t have the time.”

“I find it real fishy that you’re okay with this. That you’re just so dismissive.”

“Maybe I’ve been done too,” he answered, and it was like a slap in the face. When the line went dead, she dropped her phone, tucking it into her pocket as she looked out at the lake.

What the fuck was happening?

When the patio door opened, Delaney popped her head out. “Hey, you ready?” Gen turned, looking at her, and Delaney’s brows pulled together. “Whoa, you okay? What happened?”

“We broke up,” she said, and just like that, her phone started ringing off the hook. It was her mother, then Verna, then her father.

“Jesus, give me that,” Delaney demanded before taking it and turning it off.

“He didn’t even care. He wasn’t upset or anything. Maybe he was cheating on me?”

“Probably,” Delaney said, tucking Gen’s phone into her back pocket. “Once a cheater, always a cheater. Now, come on, let’s go to the pre-Fourth.”

But Gen shook her head. “No, maybe I should go on back to the Blu.”

“Nope, I’m not gonna let you sit at the house and wallow over this. You came here for vacation. Let’s party!”

But Gen still wouldn’t smile. “Delaney, my five-year relationship just ended, and I think I’m more upset than he is. I need to analyze this a bit.”

“Tomorrow. Let’s go have a blast tonight.”

Gen swallowed back the sob that was threatening to escape. While she had wanted this, to be done, she also wanted some kind of sadness from him. Hadn’t he ever loved her? Was he fucking around on her? Damn it, why was this such a mess? When she glanced up, Delaney’s eyes were pleading. Gen knew if she did just go home, she’d cry herself to sleep. Delaney was right. She was there to have a good time and finish her book.

And she was done writing for the day.

“Let’s go.”