Until I Met You

Chapter Thirty-Four

Early the next morning, Naomi showed up at Samantha’s door. Because she had refused to cry herself to sleep like any well-adjusted person would do, she hadn’t slept the night before. She knew what she must look like, eyes red from staring at a whirling ceiling fan, face puffy with fatigue.

‘What are you doing here? It’s officially your honeymoon.’

‘That doesn’t start until tomorrow. We booked a resort in Trinidad and we’re turning off our phones. Today we’re sending you off to the airport and sticking around to help Amelia get sorted.’

She stepped aside to let Naomi in. ‘Still doesn’t explain why you’re out and about at seven in the morning.’

‘The brunch is cancelled. Everyone is exhausted and would rather sleep in.’ She held up a basket covered in a blue-and-white-chequered cloth. ‘We’re dropping off breakfast baskets so you can relax and pack without any hassles. Anthony and I are aware that we pushed you guys to the limit. You must hate us.’

‘Don’t be stupid. We love you. Come sit down.’

The bungalow was a disaster with clothes and shoes strewn everywhere. Samantha was busy packing up her laptop and camera when she’d heard the light tap on her door. She tidied up a corner of the sofa for Naomi to sit. This morning she wore a white T and shorts and designer slides. She was seriously committed to the bridal theme.

‘If anything, we’re grateful to you,’ Samantha said. ‘This trip changed our lives.’

‘The others’, sure,’ Naomi said, wiggling to get comfortable. ‘Jasmine got engaged. Jen finally pinned Chris down. Hugo and Adrian worked things out. How about you? I’m afraid you came all this way just to get your heart broken again.’

Samantha took the basket into the kitchen and focused on unpacking one item at a time. ‘Rice cakes! I love rice cakes.’

‘Sam … nobody loves rice cakes that much. Answer me.’

Samantha clutched the cellophane-wrapped goodies in her hands. She loved them because they reminded her of Roman. Yet anything that reminded her of Roman also reminded her of the crater-sized hole he’d left in her heart. That was the vicious cycle she was caught in. She didn’t want to think of him. Roman had used his ex as an exit ramp. It was over between them the moment Tara arrived.

‘I have a message from Roman,’ Naomi said. ‘Do you want to hear it?’

She shoved the rice cakes back into the basket. ‘No.’

‘Too bad. This message woke me up at dawn. You’re going to hear it.’ Naomi slipped off her slides, propped her feet on the coffee table and read from her phone. ‘Please tell her goodbye. Tell her I didn’t want it to end this way. I didn’t want it to end at all. Tell her I’ll never forget her smile, her laugh, her fire, her temper. She changed me. I did not think that was possible. And I’ll never forget her.’ Naomi dropped the phone onto her lap with the flourish of a stand-up comedian. ‘Now tell me that doesn’t melt the ice cap of your heart.’

So much so, she was wiping away tears. But it didn’t change anything. It sounded to her like a beautiful goodbye.

‘I understand the fiancée business threw you two for a loop, but it needn’t be that way,’ Naomi said. ‘From what Anthony tells me, the relationship was stale and they dragged it on for too long. They’d been together since they were nineteen. You can’t expect a relationship forged in hormones to withstand the test of time.’

‘Some people make it work.’

‘Roman and Tara are not those people,’ Naomi said. ‘Are you going to eat the banana in the basket? I need my potassium.’

She brought it to her. ‘I’ll fight you for the rice cake, but you can have the banana.’

‘Thanks, Sammy. Now, back to serious matters. Roman is distraught. You should have seen his face after you tossed him in the pool and walked away. Boss babe move, by the way. I applaud you. It was deserved. Any chance we could move forward now?’

‘No.’

‘Oh, come on! You two were so good together, so easy, so cool. It was a joy to see.’

It was a joy to live, too. But a relationship slapped together on holiday would not stand the test of time. That was for sure. ‘It’s over. I’m focusing on me. I shouldn’t be in a relationship anyway.’

‘Why not? Because of Timothy?’

‘Because of me. Forget him.’

‘Gladly,’ Naomi said dryly.

‘Do you know what all of you have in common?’

‘All of who?’