Chapter 5
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex asked.
"It means," I said, "divorced or not, you're still someone who's been married. Why would I want to pick things up with a guy who's already been through all that?"
He just stood there, stunned.
I turned and walked away, heading for the elevator. I pressed the down button.
He followed me, standing close by, breathing a little heavily. The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped inside. He came in after me.
I hit the button for the first floor.
"Sophie," Alex said in a low voice, "you can't do this to me. I really didn't have a choice back then. Can't you understand?"
The elevator started to descend.
"She's fine now," he said. "Everything's fine. We can go back to the way things were."
"How things were before?" I asked.
"Like how we used to be together," Alex said.
The elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened. I walked out, heading straight through the lobby.
He called out behind me, "Sophie!"
I didn't look back.
I got into a cab and told the driver, "Airport."
My phone rang, and it was Alex. I hit decline. It rang again, and I declined it again. Then a text popped up.
Alex : [How long are you gonna be gone? Let me know when you're back. I'll come get you.]
I deleted it.
The airport wasn't too crowded. After checking my luggage and getting through security, I found my gate and sat down. My phone lit up again, and it was Michael.
"Ms. Lane, do you still have an old draft of that proposal? I want to take a look for reference," he said.
"It's on my work computer. I'll send it to you tomorrow," I replied.
"So, where are you at?" Michael asked.
"At the airport," I replied.
"Business trip?" he asked.
"Seaside Bay," I said.
He laughed. "No way, I'm in Seaside Bay now. Which hotel will you stay at?"
I told him which hotel.
He said, "Let me treat you to dinner tonight. Just doing my duty as your client."
After hanging up, the boarding announcement came over the speakers. I stood up and joined the line, and my phone lit up again.
It was a message from Alex.
Alex: [I got your flight info. I'll come pick you up when you get back.]
Sophie: [No.]
He replied instantly.
Alex: [But I insist.]
Right before boarding, I sent him one last message.
Sophie: [Alex, don't ever contact me again. Go live your life, and I'll live mine. We're done now.]
Then I turned off my phone.
When I landed in Seaside Bay, the sun was still up, and the heat slammed into me.
After checking in, I'd barely stepped into my room when the doorbell rang. I opened it and found Michael outside, in casual clothes, looking a lot more laid-back than last time.
"Let's go eat," Michael said.
"You're that free?" I teased.
"Just happened to have a project here," he replied. "Got nothing going on tonight, so I thought I'd take you out."
The restaurant he took me to was on the hotel's rooftop, open-air, and overlooking the sea. He ordered a few things and a bottle of wine.
"How long are you staying?" he asked.
"Three or four days," I replied.
"Is Alex finally backing off?" Michael asked.
I shook my head.
He chuckled. "That guy just doesn't know when to quit."
I didn't say anything.
The food was good, and Michael chatted about the project and then shared some fun things to do around Seaside Bay. As we were halfway through the wine, his phone buzzed. He glanced at it and then looked up at me.
"Alex has been asking everyone about you," Michael said.
I paused with my fork and then went back to eating.
"What's he asking?" I asked.
"Who you came with and which room you're staying in," Michael said, setting his phone down. "I told everyone not to give him anything."
"Thanks," I said.
He looked at me and suddenly asked, "Did you really move on?"
I put down my fork and thought about it for a moment.
"I don't know," I said. "But I don't want to take him back."
He nodded, picked up his glass, and clinked it against mine.
"Then don't," he said.
That night, I slept like a rock. The next morning, I pulled open the curtains, and sunlight flooded the room. The ocean outside was so blue that it looked unreal.
When I turned on my phone, a flood of messages came in.
Alex had sent dozens, from last night to this morning. The last one read, "I booked a flight. I'm coming to see you tomorrow.'
I tossed my phone onto the bed and went to take a shower.
When I came out of the shower, my phone lit up again.
Michael: [Breakfast downstairs?]
Sophie: [On my way.]
After getting dressed, I went downstairs. Michael was already waiting in the restaurant. I sat down across from him, and he said, "I've got somewhere I want to take you today."
"Where?" I asked.
"That's a surprise," he replied.
After breakfast, we headed out. Michael drove us down the road along the coast, and the view was gorgeous. I sat by the window, letting the wind tangle my hair, not bothering to fix it.
After about an hour, we stopped at a pier.
He got out, and I got out too.
"We're going out to sea," Michael said.
I looked at him.
He grinned. "What? You think I'm going to throw you overboard?"
"Please. You couldn't even if you tried," I shot back.
"Relax," he said with a laugh. "If I were planning anything, you'd be the last person I'd bring out here."
We got on the boat and headed out. The water turned a deeper blue, and the shore slipped farther away. Michael stood at the bow, his clothes puffed up by the wind, then turned to look at me.
"So, how's this?" he called out.
"Pretty nice," I said.
He came over and took a seat beside me.
"I had someone send Alex a message," Michael said.
"What kind of message?" I asked.
"That you're here with a guy," he replied.
I turned to look at him.
He kept a calm expression, totally unfazed. "Let him sweat a little."