Her words buzzed in his ears. There was only one thing he could hear. It was screaming in his head. All this time, she had another guy waiting for her back in Arizona. He shook his head and backed away.
“Angel, please.” He saw her tears but it didn’t matter. Something squeezed his throat and he struggled to get the words out. “This is who you’re going back to live with?”
Sarah stepped closer to him. He flinched, not wanting her to take another step. Romero and Eric stood behind him speechless. As the reality of it settled in, the anger inundated him.
“This is who you’ve been talking to everyday?” He raised his voice with every word. “This is who you can’t f**king live without?”
Sarah clasped her hand over her mouth for a brief second. “Angel, please, you don’t understand. Let me –”
“So, what? He’s been coming down here every Saturday, Sarah?”
“No!”
“Is this what you call working?”
He stalked away, again feeling like he was going to be sick. He didn’t want her to see just how deeply she affected him. Not anymore.
Through the corner of his eye, he saw her coming toward him.
Angel didn’t need to hear anymore. Whatever she had to say didn’t matter. It was all too clear.
“Angel,” she said. “Hear me out, please.”
“It doesn’t matter, Sarah.” He stopped and glared. “Unless you can tell me it’s not true, that you’re going back to live with this guy, that he’s who you’re leaving me for, I don’t need to know anything else.”
“I’m not leaving you for anyone-”
“Bullshit!”
Sarah froze, and he started to walk away again. He’d lost control and needed to get out of there before he charged at Sydney.
“He’s my best friend, Angel.”
The words felt like a blow to his stomach. He stopped and turned around. “Really, Sarah? 'Cause I thought I was.”
He blinked hard in a desperate attempt to hold the tears back. He turned his face away, panicked that she’d see him cry.
“You’re more, Angel.” She tried to grab his hand but he snagged it away. “He’s just been my friend for so many years. Everything I told you about Sydney is true. We’re like family. You have to believe me.”
Angel clenched his teeth. He thought of the way she’d gazed at Sydney in the café and held his hand at the table. The way she’d leaned against him as they’d walked out. That dress. That dress, that screamed come and get me, and she’d worn it for Sydney. Like family? Did they really think he was that stupid?
He didn’t want to ask but he had to know. “You love him, Sarah?”
When she didn’t answer immediately, he knew and it tore him apart. It was all he could take without breaking down. He had to get out of there, fast.
“Go,” he said. “You’re free to be with him without lying and sneaking around.”
He rushed toward his car.
“Angel, you have it all wrong,” Sarah cried. “Please, don’t do this.”
He hurried his step, barely making it to the car when the tears assaulted his eyes. Never in a million years would he have believed a girl could make him feel like this. He could barely see as he backed up. He zoomed past Sarah who was still standing there crying, and onto the road. He wiped away at his eyes, annoyed that they kept coming.
It all made sense now. She’d been lying all this time, and she hadn’t told him she loved him because she couldn’t. Couldn’t, because she was in love with Sydney. How could he have been so blind? Had she slept with him too? He jerked the car off to the side of the road, opening the door just in time to be sick.
*
“I have to go after him!” Sarah pleaded, as she ran toward Sydney. An older couple walking to their car stared at her with concern. The tears streamed down her cheeks and she knew her face was a mess, but she didn’t care about any of that. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and started dialing Angel’s number frantically.
“I wouldn’t, Sarah.” Eric said as she walked by him.
Sarah turned to look at him and tried to catch her breath. “But I have to.”
Eric shook his head. “I’ve known Angel all my life and I’ve never seen him like that.”
“Yeah, no shit.” Romero said. “That was bad.”
Sarah wiped her face and tried desperately to regain her composure. “But that’s why. That’s why I have to talk to him and explain. He just doesn’t understand.” She turned to Sydney. “Please take me to him.”
“Whatever you want, Lynni.” Sydney put his hand on her shoulder.
“Who the f**ks Lynni?” Romero asked disgusted.
“Hey, easy.” Eric frowned.
“I’m just wondering did she lie about her name too.” Romero started back toward their car without waiting for an answer.
Sarah wanted to scream. I didn’t lie! But she had, and she deserved this. All of it.
“Hey, that’s her middle na-” Sydney began to say.
Sarah touched Sydney’s arm. “It’s okay. It doesn’t matter.”
“Yeah it does. He’s calling you a liar.”
“It is what it is.” The disappointment in Eric’s eyes was inimitable. He turned without saying good bye, and walked to his car.
Sarah could feel another wave of tears setting in. “Let’s go, Syd.”