“It’s South African,” Julian corrected. I chuckled as the phone was dropped, another grunt sounded and then Jasmine came on the line breathless.
“You don’t deserve her.”
“I know. But I love her, and I swear to God, I’ll do everything I can to make it right.”
“It’s probably already too late.”
“What do you mean?”
“She went back to New York. Ia
n… you really fucked up.”
“Too late for what?”
“Her parents own a Fifth Avenue apartment. I’ll text Steven the address, and that’s all you’re getting from me.”
“Fair enough. Thank you. Out of curiosity, what’s the situation with this guy, Steven?”
Steven opened one of his eyes across from me and sat up as if I’d thrown him a bone.
“He’s just as screwed as you for the moment.”
I chuckled again. “That bad, huh?”
“Tell her I’m coming to get her,” Steven spoke up.
“Tell him I’m being taken care of,” she shouted back. “Good luck, Ian, you’re going to need it.”
“Jasmine, I know you’re pissed, but before you go, will you just tell me if she’s okay?”
“She got her heart shattered by an asshole who knew better, is about to have her home destroyed by an act of nature, and is currently living with her mother, what do you think?”
“Jasmine, please tell me what I might be too late for?”
The line went dead, and I cringed in my seat.
Steven let out a sigh. “She’s gotten a lot tougher since I left.” I recognized a bit of a southern drawl as he spoke.
“Left? You’re the ex-fiancé who left her in St. Thomas?”
“Yep,” he said, rolling a tumbler of whiskey in his fingers. “Biggest mistake of my life.”
“Why did you do it?”
“I had my reasons. None were good enough, hence the penance she’s making me pay. I know she’s with someone else right now. I’m biding my time and sooner or later she’s going to have to hear me out.”
“So, she’s taking her revenge by making you board her friend’s house?”
“Amongst other things,” he said dryly. “It was my pleasure to do it. I’m not the total bastard she paints me to be.”
“I’m afraid I may be the bastard she’s accused me of being,” I said, taking his whiskey and tossing it back. “My apologies. I think I needed it more than you.”
He motioned for the attendant. “Don’t worry about it, man. Plenty where that came from.”
I looked down at the islands as they slowly disappeared from view and briefly wondered how the sight of it would change when I returned.
“So where can I drop you?”