Chapter 4
Larry was driving a black SUV—spotless inside, with one of those little air fresheners dangling from the mirror.
"So… did the company send you here this time, or—" Larry asked, his tone casual as his eyes stayed on the road.
"Company business. Figured I'd drop by to see you too," I answered vaguely.
He nodded, didn't press.
Silence crept into the car. The kind you could feel pressing in on your skin.
I opened my mouth a couple of times, but the words always slid back down my throat.
"Got a place to stay yet?" Larry finally broke the quiet.
"Not yet. Just got off the high-speed train," I replied.
"Then let me take you to a hotel. There's one I use a lot here—good place, safe too."
"Alright. Thanks, Larry."
He chuckled. "Come on, you don't have to be formal with me."
The hotel turned out to be as nice as he'd promised—bright, spacious room with a fresh, clean feel.
Larry carried my luggage in, then did a quick check of the room's amenities like he was making sure everything worked.
"Rest up a bit, shake off the travel fatigue. Tonight I'll take you out for some local specialties," he said.
"Isn't that too much trouble? Don't you have work?" I asked.
"It's fine. Work can wait. You're here, I should play host." His smile was warm.
Looking at him, I felt something twisted in my chest.
This man—gentle, attentive, responsible.
So why did Elvira cheat on him?
Was Marsh really so much "tough"?
The thought made me sick.
That night, Larry took me to this classy restaurant. Said it was where he treated clients.
The food was gorgeous and, yeah, worth the hype.
He didn't say much, but somehow always caught the moment—passing me a dish, topping off my drink.
That quiet care? Worlds apart from Marsh's clumsy, careless ways.
And I found myself thinking: if Elvira hadn't picked Larry or if I'd never met Marsh, would life be different?
But there was no such thing as if.
"Vannie, trip going okay?" Larry slid a piece of fish onto my plate like it was nothing.
My heart tightened. He was feeling me out.
"It's… fine," I said, my voice not as steady as I'd like.
"Yeah?" He set down his chopsticks, eyes soft but sharp. "Funny, your old job didn't have you traveling much."
My pulse skipped.
Right—he was not easy to fool.
"It's… new business the company's expanding into," I lied.
He smiled, didn't call me out, just sipped his coffee. The smile gave me goosebumps.
I decided to try my own fishing.
"You and Elvira… good lately?" I inquired.
His hand paused on the glass for a beat, then he smoothed it over. "Good. Why?"
"No reason. Just… you two are apart a lot. Worry she might overthink." I kept my tone light.
"Your sister? She's carefree. Not one for brooding," he said, flat as water.
"Right," I agreed, though inside I was laughing cold.
No secrets?
Her big one was in my bed.
The rest of the meal was tasteless to me.
Larry seemed checked out too. We skirted around nothing-talk until it was done.
After dinner he insisted on driving me back.
Outside my door, I took a breath. "Larry, truth is, I came this time—"
"Vannie," he cut me off, wearing a tired smile, "I know you've got something to say. But it's late, and you're tired. Get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow, okay?"
I nodded. He really did seem not to know.
Or maybe he was just waiting for me to break it.