Chapter 10
The rest of his words were cut off by the slam of my door.
Back in the living room, I grabbed the cake Tanner had brought and hurled it into the trash with enough force to rattle the can.
Fuck his stupid peace offering.
Who wanted to third–wheel his romantic getaway with Harper anyway?
Even his pathetic attempt at damage control–trying to keep both his childhood sweetheart and his shiny new toy happy–was insulting.
[ collapsed onto the couch, my chest burning with rage and humiliation.
To avoid letting him completely destroy my sanity, I decided to take my own trip.
They say it takes 21 days to build a habit.
Maybe it only takes 21 days to break one too–including the habit of loving someone who’d never love me back.
Mom was nervous about me traveling abroad alone, but she agreed to let me stay with my aunt in Miami for a while.
Since applications were done and I had nothing left to lose, I threw some clothes in a bag and booked a red–eye to
Florida that same night.
By 10 PM, I was sitting in my aunt’s beachfront house, demolishing a seafood platter under the stars.
The ocean breeze carried the smell of grilled shrimp and salt air, washing away the toxic memories of last night. For he first time in days, I could actually breathe.
I couldn’t resist posting to Instagram–a gorgeous sunset shot with my feast spread out below, captioned “Sometimes the best company is your own?”
oy and the girls immediately started blowing up my DMs with jealous comments, already planning to crash my solo retreat.
The next morning, my cousin’s voice dragged me from the first peaceful sleep I’d had in weeks.
Bright Florida sunshine was already streaming through the windows.
“Hey, zombie. Someone’s calling for you. Had to track down our ancient landline–your ridiculously hot childhood friend.”
She handed me the phone with a knowing smirk.
Chapter 10
Still half–asleep and sun–drunk, I answered without thinking. Of course it was Tanner.
“Drielle, everyone’s here except you. We board in thirty minutes–where the hell are you?”
“Why did you block me again? Your mom said you were sleeping at your cousin’s. Did she come to New York?”
Tanner sounded frantic, like his perfect plan was falling apart.
Good.
I came fully awake, letting satisfaction coat my voice.
“Nope. I came to her. I’m in Miami.”
Tanner’s tone turned sharp with disbelief and irritation. “Quit fucking around. You were home yesterday–just get your ass here and you can still make the flight.”
“I told you I wasn’t going. Stop wasting time waiting for me.”
Dead silence on the other end.
Then I heard Harper’s soft voice in the background: “Drielle really is in Miami. This is from her Instagram story last night–my friend showed me…”
Oh right. Harper would know, since Tanner couldn’t see my posts anymore after I blocked him everywhere.
The irony was delicious.
“Believe me now?” I asked sweetly.
nner seemed too furious to form coherent words.
fore I hung up, I caught his voice, low and poisonous: “Drielle, you’re gonna fucking regret this.”
threat sent a chill down my spine, but I smiled anyway.
“Probably not.”
16:14 O
