I look up at the man.
What do you need?the man’s eyes ask me. He looks at me the way he touched that rose, like I deserve all the care in the world.
I think that’s what makes me crack.
The man stares intently at my face.
Eyes suddenly blurry with tears, I say, “Take me away from him. Somewhere where there are no people. No people at all.”
The man steps forward, which releases Jeff.
Jeff stumbles and falls on his ass on the flagstones.
I would laugh if this was funny.
“Maggie, be reasonable,” he says as he gets up.
He reaches for me, but I put a hand on the big man’s arm. “Now, please.”
The man shoves a hand at Jeff’s chest, keeping him back.
Jeff struggles against him. “What are you doing, asshole? That’s my fiancée.”
“Not anymore,” I say.
Still, Jeff struggles.
Then the man does something I never expected. He lets go of Jeff, but only to make the most wild, deranged face I’ve ever seen. His eyeballs pop, tongue sticks out. He raises his arms up.
Jeff actually yelps.
Now I do laugh, because that was so ridiculous, so perfect. It was the only thing that actually got Jeff to stop struggling.
I look at my fiancé, pointing a finger at his stupid, handsome face. “Don’t follow me, Jeff. If you follow me, I’ll get my friend here to punch you in the balls.”Kick, Maggie. People usually kick people in the balls.
But the man plays along, forming a fist. God, his hand is huge.
Jeff blanches, his hands going over his crotch.
“And if you still don’t listen,” I say, my voice containing a steely quality I don’t recognize as coming from me, “I’ll call everyone and tell them exactly what I saw.”
But it works. Or maybe it’s the giant fist at the gardener’s side. It doesn’t matter. Jeff relents, hanging his head.
“Okay. Okay, Maggie. Just take a minute to cool down. I’ll stay here.”
Like he has a choice.
“I’ll tell everyone you’re getting ready,” he continues. “I?—”
“Stop talking, Jeff,” I say with less venom than exhaustion. Then I spin on my heel, ignoring him, and reach for my white knight, the gardener I’m absolutely imposing on in the most insane way.
But he doesn’t seem to care. He points down a path that looks a little less trodden than the rest. Past a sign that saysStaff Only.
And then we’re gone.
We walk in silence, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s exactly what I need.
Ten minutes later, we’re at a part of the island I didn’t know existed. After a slight slope through the trees and around a bend, we step into a little glade.
