“Basil, I’m so sorry. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.Pleasehear me out,” I beg through the stinging sensation at the corner of my eyes. “I love you,” I whisper. When I’m met with more silence, a sickness churns my stomach. The fight in my heart is depleted, leaving me with complete emptiness.
With slumped shoulders, I turn, grab my bag, and leave the villa—but not the memories—my feet feeling ten times heavier than they did during my beach run earlier this morning. I meet Basil’s misty eyes once more before the wooden door slams in my face. The forceful thud echoes through my veins, and I hear Basil’s heavy sobs unleash from the other side. She’s in so much pain, and I’m not there to hold her.
Icaused her so much pain.
Hopeless, I wrap my arms around my waist and lean my back onto the door, my eyes clamped shut. Each weep from Basil’s mouth hits like a violent strike against the barricade holding back my tears. Unable to stop thoughts of the past from flooding in, finally I break too.
I did this to myself. This is why I don’t do love—everyone leaves me in the end. And it’s my fault.
I wipe my wet face with the back of my hand and walk away, passing the idling car in front of the villa entrance. I head toward the bar. Basil would have never chosen me, anyway.
CHAPTER 25
BASIL
“Are you happy now?”I address my mother when she joins me an hour later on the deck. We’re the same regarding needing space when we’re upset, but this time, too much damage has been done. She left me alone barely long enough for me to put on a sundress and start rage-packing—shoving fistfuls of clothes into my luggage bag. I never finished. I had to step away. Everything I touched reminded me of Caroline. I need a decade, not an hour. “Clearly, I’m the only person in this family that isn’t allowed to be.”
Behind me, Juliette doesn’t respond. I feel a hand on my elbow, which I brush off immediately. “No,” I growl. “You’ve outdone yourself this time. A private investigator?” I shake my head.
There are so many questions swirling inside my mind, but the most painful one slips out. “Did you pay her to pretend to fall in love—” The sob stuck in my throat prevents me from finishing the sentence. I don’t think I can handle that answer on top of everything else that’s happened.
“No.” Juliette stands beside me, arms crossed over her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line. We even pout the same. “Makes sense why she tried to quit the case. Unfortunately, that little declaration of love caught both of us by surprise. ”
And I loved Caroline too, but how do I know what was real and what wasn’t when she was lying to me? My gaze points over the water, and I change the subject back and demand more answers. “Is this the first time you’ve hired someone to follow me?” I can’t believe I’m asking this question to my ownparent.
“It’s the one and only time.”
“I don’t believe you,” I blurt out. How can I?
“It’s true. I hired Ms. King to watch you from a distance. Clearly, that didn’t happen.”
I huff, then tighten my fingers around the rails until my knuckles turn white. No breathing exercise could calm me down at this moment. I try anyway. After a few deep breaths, I trace the outlines of the tan and gray stones resting underneath the clear water while the sounds of gentle waves lap the shore. It helps a little, but the ache from heartbreak and betrayal continues to slowly expand in my chest.
“Why?” I ask. The word comes out in a hollow whisper. I face her, needing to look into her eyes. “Seeing your daughter being left at the altar and getting her heart destroyed wasn’t enough for you?”
Our gazes hold, silence stretching between us. She seems surprised at my words—or maybe it’s my sharp tone, which she hasn’t heard for longer than three minutes without my apologizing.
She’s doing her typical thing, always taking her damn time to respond. Unlike her, I’ve never had enough patience to hide my emotions well. I glare at her, wishing the storm raging in me could spill out and crash all over her calm, perfect head.
“I want the truth for once,” I demand.
She drops her arms to her sides and exhales. “I wanted to give you space, but I also needed to know nothing would interfere with the wine deal that we’ve been working incredibly hard to obtain—thatyou’vebeen working hard to obtain. Hiring Ms. King was the best solution I could think of with the limited time I had.”
“I knew the real reason involved work. It always does with you.”
“Do not villainize me. I’m your mother. I just want you to have the best life. I think you and Olivia—”
“Don’t,” I snap. “Don’t youdaresay that name right now.”
Silence.
I can sense more angry tears coming on, but I look away to compose myself. I’ve cried enough in front of people today. This is the first time I’ve ever stood up to Juliette, but I don’t think I can continue living underneath her microscope. It’s too controlling. Being free from her for almost two weeks has changed how I view my autonomy, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, being with Caroline has also changed me.
I speak my thoughts out loud against my better inclinations, like an idiot. “The sad truth is, I had more feelings for the woman who walked out that front door after two weeks than I had with a woman I was with for over seven years. What’s wrong with me?”
“Sweetheart.” A gentle hand lands on my shoulder. Juliette’s voice turns into that manipulative, motherly tone I know all too well. “An island affair is just that. It’s intense and burns hot, then it’s over. Time to go back to reality.” When I pull away again, she adds, “You have a promotion waiting for you when we get back. That’s what you want, isn’t it? You deserve it. Look alive. Let’s go home.”
I felt alive with Caroline.I see right through my mother this time and dismiss her last words. “It wasn’t just a fling.” I blink twice, not caring that I sound like a lovesick teenager. Now over this conversation, I walk away and pause at the sliding door before opening it. “Not for me. I swear, I loved Caro—”
