Chapter 2

I decided to stay at Samantha's place for a while.

After college, she opened a guesthouse in Seasiaven.

It was right by the sea, and the view was amazing.

Word was, there were plenty of hot guys around, especially in the summer.

I thought it was the perfect place to heal.

The driver Richard left behind showed up right on time that afternoon to pick me up.

I didn't get in.

"Mrs. Langley, Mr. Langley asked me to take you," he said.

"Don't call me Mrs. Langley anymore," I said.

The driver froze for a second.

I felt a little sad too.

We had been married for six years. It felt weird not hearing that title anymore.

But I waved him off. "You can go back. I'll get to the airport myself."

This was the first big move I made after the divorce.

It was time to learn how to stand on my own two feet.

It was merely catching a flight. Seriously, who couldn't handle that?

*****

Two hours later, I was standing in Terminal 1, staring at my phone where "T2 Boarding" was flashing in giant letters, totally stumped.

It turned out that I couldn't.

My first instinct was to call Richard.

Back in the day, whenever something like this happened, all I had to do was say, "Honey, I think I'm lost."

And that was it. The rest was out of my hands.

The driver would show up.

The secretary would rebook my flight.

Sometimes, someone would even hand me a new boarding pass.

I stared at the name at the very top of my contacts.

My finger hovered over the screen for ages.

But in the end, I backed out of the call.

I grabbed a cab myself.

By the time I got to Terminal 2, the plane was already gone.

I stood there, totally dumbfounded.

The staff at the counter were super nice. "Ma'am, we can help you rebook for the next flight."

"Is it free?" I asked.

"You'll need to pay the fare difference for your cabin class," they replied.

In the end, I had to pay 900 dollars.

My heart hurt so badly that I almost wanted to remarry Richard right there at the airport.

I didn't land in Seasiaven until nine at night.

Samantha came to pick me up.

The first thing she said when she saw me was, "So, independent woman now, huh?"

I tossed my luggage into the car. "Shut up."

"How was your first time flying solo?"

"I lost 900 dollars and a chunk of my dignity."

"Richard would probably have a heart attack if he knew."

I paused for a second while buckling my seatbelt. "What's it got to do with him?"

Samantha looked at me.

I turned my face to the window. It still had everything to do with him. At least, it did until this morning.

Every time I lost something or messed up, he was the one who always paid for it in the end.

My phone lit up.

It was a message from Richard. [Did you make it to Seasiaven?]

I didn't reply.

Two minutes passed.

Another message: [The driver said you didn't let him take you.]

I still didn't reply.

A third message: [Let me know when you get there.]

I tried to hold out.

But in the end, I caved. [I'm here.]

He shot back a reply almost instantly. [Okay.]

I kept staring at my phone for what felt like forever. Suddenly, I felt angrier.

Wasn't he the one who wanted the divorce? Why did it feel like I was the one acting all dramatic here?

I flipped my phone over, screen down, refusing to look at it.

Samantha glanced over. "Still got feelings for him?"

"Nope," I said.

"Then why are you grinding your teeth like that?"

"My teeth are itchy."

She let out a snort.

I ignored her.

Five minutes later, I asked again, "So, where are those hot guys you promised?"

Samantha almost swerved the car right into the bushes.