coffee, and sat my usual table overlooking the water.
I'd packed a few books and my iPod thinking I'd be alone for the duration and would need something to do. So
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to give a clear indication I didn't want to speak to anyone, I deliberately sat with my back to the hotel, put my earphones in, turned the music up, and stuck my nose in the book.
The only person to interrupt me was Sydney. She came to collect my empty plate and cup, but she never spoke. She simply placed a fresh coffee in front of me, patted my arm, and took my dirty dishes away.
If Adam and Simon saw me, watched me, or tried to speak to me, I didn't know.
I did I look up occasionally at the people who walked by me, heading toward the beach. The Monday crowd was quieter than the weekend one. A lot of the guests had left but some new faces arrived.
Sydney interrupted me again, this time with a plate of salad and cold meat and a bottle of water. Though this time she didn't really smile. It was more of a raised eyebrow, and when I pulled one earphone out, her face became stern. "Eat," was all she said, before walking back into the kitchen. She reminded me of Callie. I smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.
It wasn't until I looked at the plate of food that I realized it was lunchtime and I was actually hungry. When I was done with the food and had had enough sun for the day, I stripped off my shirt and dove into the pool to cool
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off.
Dripping wet, I collected my stuff off the table. I flicked my hands through my hair, trying to dry it as much as possible, and found myself facing the bar. Adam was staring at me. He licked his lips and swallowed hard, and the guy at the bar smiled at me.
I ignored them both and went to my room.
* * * *
I wasn't overly hungry and I didn't want to spend the whole evening in my room alone with my thoughts, but I didn't really want company either so I headed out into the hotel courtyard with my book and iPod. My usual table was taken by people having dinner, so I took an empty one that was unfortunately closer to the bar. Closer to where Adam was. But once again, I sat with my back to the rest of the hotel, put my earphones in, and found my page in the book.
It was maybe an hour later when a tap on the arm startled me. I looked up to see the same guy who'd been sitting at the bar before talking to Adam. He was smiling nervously at me, so I pulled out my earphones and looked at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Uh, hi," he started. Then he motioned toward a chair at my table. "Can I join you?"
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I blinked at his request, surprised he'd asked. I would have thought the "I don't want to talk to anyone"
props like earphones and a book spoke for themselves.
Apparently not. "Um, sure," I mumbled.
He sat down and started to talk. I tried to listen as he introduced himself—I'm sure his name started with a K—he was twenty-one and here from California on vacation.
By himself.
"Are you here with someone?" he asked bluntly.
"Uh…"
"I haven't seen you with anyone all day," he said with no shame in admitting to watching me earlier. "The guy behind the bar said he thought you were here with someone," he said, looking back toward where Adam stood, trying not to listen to our conversation.
I looked over at Adam. "Is that what he said?" I asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of my tone. Then still looking toward Adam, I spoke loud enough for him to hear. "As a matter of fact, I am here alone. Very much so, apparently."
Adam frowned and grimaced, but said nothing.
The guy beside me smiled. "So, did you want to maybe go out? There's a bar called the 'Green something ', I think."
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Company N.R.
Walker
And it suddenly seemed like a great idea. Not so much to go out with what's-his-name, but to show Adam and Simon that I could. After wallowing in self-pity for two days, it seemed like a
I'd packed a few books and my iPod thinking I'd be alone for the duration and would need something to do. So
119
Three's
Company N.R.
Walker
to give a clear indication I didn't want to speak to anyone, I deliberately sat with my back to the hotel, put my earphones in, turned the music up, and stuck my nose in the book.
The only person to interrupt me was Sydney. She came to collect my empty plate and cup, but she never spoke. She simply placed a fresh coffee in front of me, patted my arm, and took my dirty dishes away.
If Adam and Simon saw me, watched me, or tried to speak to me, I didn't know.
I did I look up occasionally at the people who walked by me, heading toward the beach. The Monday crowd was quieter than the weekend one. A lot of the guests had left but some new faces arrived.
Sydney interrupted me again, this time with a plate of salad and cold meat and a bottle of water. Though this time she didn't really smile. It was more of a raised eyebrow, and when I pulled one earphone out, her face became stern. "Eat," was all she said, before walking back into the kitchen. She reminded me of Callie. I smiled for the first time in what felt like forever.
It wasn't until I looked at the plate of food that I realized it was lunchtime and I was actually hungry. When I was done with the food and had had enough sun for the day, I stripped off my shirt and dove into the pool to cool
120
Three's
Company N.R.
Walker
off.
Dripping wet, I collected my stuff off the table. I flicked my hands through my hair, trying to dry it as much as possible, and found myself facing the bar. Adam was staring at me. He licked his lips and swallowed hard, and the guy at the bar smiled at me.
I ignored them both and went to my room.
* * * *
I wasn't overly hungry and I didn't want to spend the whole evening in my room alone with my thoughts, but I didn't really want company either so I headed out into the hotel courtyard with my book and iPod. My usual table was taken by people having dinner, so I took an empty one that was unfortunately closer to the bar. Closer to where Adam was. But once again, I sat with my back to the rest of the hotel, put my earphones in, and found my page in the book.
It was maybe an hour later when a tap on the arm startled me. I looked up to see the same guy who'd been sitting at the bar before talking to Adam. He was smiling nervously at me, so I pulled out my earphones and looked at him, waiting for him to speak.
"Uh, hi," he started. Then he motioned toward a chair at my table. "Can I join you?"
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Company N.R.
Walker
I blinked at his request, surprised he'd asked. I would have thought the "I don't want to talk to anyone"
props like earphones and a book spoke for themselves.
Apparently not. "Um, sure," I mumbled.
He sat down and started to talk. I tried to listen as he introduced himself—I'm sure his name started with a K—he was twenty-one and here from California on vacation.
By himself.
"Are you here with someone?" he asked bluntly.
"Uh…"
"I haven't seen you with anyone all day," he said with no shame in admitting to watching me earlier. "The guy behind the bar said he thought you were here with someone," he said, looking back toward where Adam stood, trying not to listen to our conversation.
I looked over at Adam. "Is that what he said?" I asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of my tone. Then still looking toward Adam, I spoke loud enough for him to hear. "As a matter of fact, I am here alone. Very much so, apparently."
Adam frowned and grimaced, but said nothing.
The guy beside me smiled. "So, did you want to maybe go out? There's a bar called the 'Green something ', I think."
122
Three's
Company N.R.
Walker
And it suddenly seemed like a great idea. Not so much to go out with what's-his-name, but to show Adam and Simon that I could. After wallowing in self-pity for two days, it seemed like a
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