“Then uncomplicate it.”
“I enjoyed spending time with him, Eris. I can’t help that. He’s handsome and spontaneous. He surfs and flies planes and knows how to drive a boat. He taught me how to snorkel and we took naps in the sun. And the sex, Eris.”
“Oh, if the sex is good everything else can be forgiven.”
“I’ve never felt like that with a man before. Wanted and satiated and lusted after. It was beautiful, Eris. And I couldn’t give it up. I tried. After I got off the phone with you that day, I went straight back to that bar and snagged me a military man on leave.”
“For fucking real!? Girl, how did that go?” Eris asked.
“Great, until Ash showed up. In his tight wet suit dripping with seawater.”
“You sound like me.”
“I felt like you. I couldn’t get enough of him. It was wonderful, and not once did I think about James while I was with him. Not once did I think about anything while I was with him. I connected with him, Eris. On a level I never felt with James before.”
“That’s a good thing, Kallie. It means all this shit didn’t affect you like you thought it did. It’s going to make it easier to move on despite his obvious attempts at getting you back.”
Eris nodded to the flowers and Kallie sighed.
“For a woman who just talked about getting the best dick of her life, that sure is a heavy sigh.”
“He lied.”
“Who lied?”
“Ash. He lied.”
“How did he lie?” Eris asked. “Do I have to kill him now too?”
“It’s...”
Kallie sighed, unable to even begin the story.
“Kallie, just start from the beginning.”
“I’m trying! But it’s so convoluted and involved and ... and you’re going to think I’m crazy.”
“Lesson one. Stop worrying about what other people think. Talk. Fill me in. Let me help you. Or at least listen,” Eris said.
“I connected with him, Eris. We went on this yacht trip—”
“So he’s rich.”
“Will you listen?” Kallie asked. “We went on this yacht trip and got trapped in this storm. I was petrified and it was gut-wrenching. I’d never been so scared in my life. And the entire time, Ash comforted me. Kept us safe. Held me and cuddled me and kissed me. Bounced between making sure I was okay below deck and keeping the boat steady through the raging storm around us.”
“Why didn’t you tell me any of this? Why didn’t you call me, Kallie?”
“He’s rich, Eris.”
“I already figured that with the yacht.”
“No, no, no. He didn’t portray himself as rich. He wore board shorts and colorful flowing button-downs, and ... and took me to all the huts on the island to eat instead of the nice restaurants. He made it seem like he worked as a bartender at the beachside cabana where we met, and he never once corrected me. He told me it was his friend’s yacht!”
“Yikes,” Eris said.
“Yeah. Yikes. And then after the storm passes, we’re surrounded by boats asking us if a ‘Mr. Worthington’ is okay.”
“That name sounds rich.”