Chapter 22: Anna—Bloody heads and the rising ick
Lunch was most amusing. Shane wasn’t kidding when he said he was treating her to lunch and a show. While enjoying a sumptuous meal and refreshing cold beer, Anna was treated to an impromptu two-person demonstration of hostile body language. There was hand throwing, arm crossing, scowling, glaring, and head shaking. Mason looked ready to explode with frustration, and April appeared to have completely lost her cool, composed facade.
Shane had clinked his beer glass against hers and winked. She found herself smiling so hard her mouth hurt. It was a genuine smile, genuine happiness. The kiss on the balcony had been disorienting. She’d felt giddiness, lightness, and pure pleasure. He was a strong man, but gentle. She’d felt secure in his arms, like she was wrapped in a warm, very sexual blanket. The man could definitely kiss. Running her hands up his arms and shoulders had felt like touching warm steel.
She felt as though guilt should have plagued her, but it didn’t. Shane was right. They weren’t doing anything wrong. A kiss was minor compared with what Mason had done. No one was all up in her aching puss. She’d at least waited until she was single; Mason just didn’t know that she’d finally realized her single status. She was single the moment he cheated on her. She hadn’t been given a heads up so why did he deserve one? Let him rot in his guilt for one more day, if he felt any guilt that is.
They had planned to confront April and Mason on Sunday, but Anna no longer felt the need to draw this out. It needed to be over. She wanted to move on. With Shane or without Shane, she’d be fine. She desperately wanted him as an option, not because she feared being alone, but because she loved being with him. She loved his dry sense of humor, his protectiveness, andhis sense of fun. He encouraged her to have fun and sang along to her cheating playlist even though he didn’t really know the words to many of the songs. He was obviously a tough man, but there was a self-consciousness about him that softened him.
It wasn’t an annoying self-consciousness like Mason’s, which required constant assurances and platitudes. Shane was more of a recognition that he wasn’t perfect. No one was, but he seemed to feel it more. His interactions with her were genuine and confident, but she could sense a fear of rejection. She hadn’t sensed it when he was with his friends at the bar, only when he was around her. That kind of self-consciousness was the opposite of arrogance. It didn’t plague him and make him an approval seeker. It made him cautious around her. Cautious of her feelings and respectful of his moves around her. He was secure but didn’t swagger around wanting praise like Mason did. He just quietly went about his business.
They spent the afternoon preparing for the night’s main event. Shane readily agreed to end the charade tonight. He had his legal envelope ready to give April and his phone ready to record, though the text evidence was more than enough according to his lawyer. Shane had shrugged at that, saying he’d make the most of being in a one-party recording state. His desire to be rid of April was very clear.
After a quick takeaway burger meal, delivered by the amazing Scotty who Shane said had earned a huge bonus this year, Shane and Anna waited for the odious couple next door to return. The afternoon had been quite entertaining. After lunch, Mason and April had gone in different directions but returned together. Scotty had given them a heads up, prompting them to open their doors and wait just inside.
For a couple so “in love,” Mason and April seemed to spend a fair bit of time on the balcony, not inside banging each other. Shane and Anna heard muffled angry voices, then heard theFrench doors next door fly open and footsteps on the balcony. The footsteps turned out to be Mason’s, a fact they discovered when they heard his high-pitched scream. Ah, he found the head.
“What?” April shrieked, running outside.
She scoffed and picked the head up.
“This is a Halloween decoration, Mason. Please tell me that’s not why you’re screaming.”
Anna could feel the other woman’s ick rising. This was a beautiful moment. Scotty’s timing had been perfect. He knocked on their door, and crossed to the balcony when April let him in.
“Everything okay in here? We had a report of a woman screaming,” he asked in a concerned voice.
“Yes, my wife here saw this head and was scared. It’s okay though. Maybe some kids threw it up here,” Mason stammered.
“Your wife? Really?” April scoffed, sounding disgusted. Yes, she most certainly had the ick. The thing about the ick is, once you have it, it’s so very hard to rid yourself of it.
After Mason had embarrassed himself, they’d argued in their room, just inside from the balcony, about dinner, with April eventually agreeing to pay until Mason could sort out his “banking issue” on Monday.
While the on-the-rocks couple next door “enjoyed” a dinner somewhere at April’s expense, Anna and Shane relaxed on the balcony settee, enjoying a beer. Shane pushed the table between them back and pulled her recliner next to him. He reached for her hand and there they lay, together but separate. His hand was warm and large, fitting hers within it completely. She hadn’t felt that peaceful in some time, and she had those delicious butterflies that she’d so missed with Mason. Of course, butterflies don’t last forever, but these butterflies felt different. Steadier.
The hotel room door next to them slammed, and noise entered the room. They were coming out to the balcony. Shane held up his phone and hit record. They were armed and ready. Shane squeezed her hand encouragingly. It was showtime.
“I’m done April, I was fucking done ages ago. You constantly—” his voice cut off as he walked outside. His eyes met Anna’s, then Shane’s.
“Anna?” He uttered her name and was speechless.
“You can’t just—” April walked out and assumed a similar silent state. They looked at each other, their cheating mouths opening and closing without sound. Like two stupid panting fish.
Shane spoke first.
“Surprise lovebirds.” His voice was cheerful but cold. It was deep and confident.
“Shane, are you following me? This is Tina’s friend, he had to …” she trailed off, realizing that Shane had met Mason and knew damn well who he was. To her and to Anna.
“Anna, I am so sorry. I can explain everything. I didn’t mean it. It was the way it started, it was just … I don’t want her. I don’t even like her anymore. I never loved her, I love you—”
“Shut the fuck up, you weak piece of shit. We both know exactly what this is. We’ve known for a while, so don’t stand in front of us and lie. Be a man. Tell the truth,” Shane sneered.
“Mason, I don’t want your excuses. I don’t want your lies or your gaslighting. I don’t want you. I’m going home tomorrow to my dad’s. I don’t give a fuck what you do with the house. Break the lease, don’t break the lease, move her in … I don’t care. I don’t want to see you again. You thought you could take my money and fuck off with her? Then what? You changed your mind? Too late. It was over the moment you crossed that line.” Anna was proud of herself for getting through her speech without a stammer or sob. She had grown stronger. There were no tears left.
“No, Anna. Please, I know I fucked up. I’ll spend the rest of my life showing—”
“Her money?” April asked softly.
