‘I’m sorry. I’m just… I hate this, Jack. When I’m back home in the city, I feel so alone. There are reminders of him, and you, and our life before…’ She trailed off, her voice breaking. ‘But I feel alone here too, especially with you moving out. It’s like I don’t belong anywhere any more.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘Maybe not, but it’s how I feel. I mean, how can my life have gone so horribly wrong? I had everything, and now?’
‘You still have me. And you have this place.’
She chuckled bitterly. ‘This place was Alex’s dream, not mine. I bought it on a whim because I thought it would make me feel closer to him, but of course it doesn’t. How could it? He was never here. And I have no idea what I’m doing. If it wasn’t for you stepping in to save me, I would have lost it all.’
‘It’s not that hard; you’re overthinking things. If I can figure it out, you sure as hell can.’
She stared up at me with her big, puppy-dog eyes. ‘I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
When she looked at me like that, lines got blurred. I stood up. ‘You don’t have to worry about that.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘Home.’
‘That cabin is not your home,’ she snapped, then composed herself again. ‘Does that woman live there? On the property?’
‘What woman? Taylor?’
‘I don’t remember her name. The one you were with today.’
‘Yeah, that’s Taylor. And yes, she is staying in her mother’s house.’
‘For how long?’
‘I’m not sure. Her mother is away on a cruise, so she’s back to look after the old man.’
‘That’s nice of her.’
‘It is.’
‘Will you be seeing her again?’
‘Why are you asking?’
‘I’m just making conversation.’
‘I have no idea. But it’s a small town, and we do live on the same property. Our paths are bound to cross. Right, I’ll get going, but I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Do you really have to go? I can cook you dinner. That pasta dish you love. We can catch up.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
She looked desperate. ‘I just got back. What am I supposed to do?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe watch a show, or read a book, or even go for a walk or swim?’ I suggested, my voice softening. It broke my heart to see how sad she looked, but I knew I had to be firm to be kind. ‘I’m here for you, Hannah. I always will be. But some of this stuff you’ve got to figure out for yourself.’
11
TAYLOR
‘I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up tonight,’ I called out, watching him pick his way across the rocks towards the pool. The moon was bright, bathing everything in a beautiful silvery blue light.
‘I told you, I come down here every night.’ His voice carried easily in the still of the night, the silence broken only by the sound of the tide gently lapping against the rocks.
