Lizzie shook her head. She was so tired. Bone tired. The kind of tired that came from crying and walking three miles in the heat and having your heart broken before breakfast.
“I don’t care anymore. I just want to finish this internship and go home and forget any of this ever happened.”
Chrisla squeezed her hand. “Take the shuttle back to Stock Island, take a shower and change. Do you work today? Do you want me to cover?”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s my day off today anyway.”
“Alright. Head home then. I’ll come by later with a boat load of snacks and we can watch some trashy TV. I’m off at 4. Everything will be alright, yes?”
Lizzie wasn’t sure she believed that. But she hugged Chrisla anyway and was about to head for the employee housing when a thought came to her.
“How are you? I didn’t even ask. The food poisoning I mean.”
Chrisla waved a hand. “I should know better than to eat gas station sushi. Especially not on an island four hours from mainland America. I got it all out though. Figuratively and literally.” She grinned and Lizzie nodded before heading out for Stock Island.
In her little apartment, she peeled off her filthy clothes and dropped them in the trash. She couldn’t imagine ever wanting to wear them again. They’d just remind her of this morning. Of standing in Sarah’s kitchen wrapped in a sheet while Sarah looked at her like a problem to be solved.
The shower water was lukewarm at best but Lizzie stood under it anyway. She scrubbed her skin until it was pink.
She kept seeing Sarah’s face. The way it had gone blank when Lizzie said last night meant something. It was almost as if someone had slowly let the shutters down right in front of her. But before that? Before that, Lizzie had been certain she saw affection in her eyes. Maybe more.
Or maybe it really was just sex to her.
Lizzie got out of the shower and put on clean pajamas even though it was only eleven in the morning. Outside her window she could hear spring breakers laughing. Music playing. Life going on.
She crawled into bed and pulled the blanket over her head.
Last night she’d fallen asleep in Sarah’s arms feeling safe and wanted and like maybe, she’d found something real.
This morning she’d been left with sixty dollars on a kitchen counter.
Lizzie pressed her face into the pillow and cried until she couldn’t breathe properly. Until her throat was raw and her eyes were swollen and there was nothing left.
Then she cried some more.
Chapter 14
Sarah
Friday
“You’re miserable.”
Sarah looked up from her phone. Carlos sat down next to her on the ferry bench, a thermos of coffee in his hand.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” He unscrewed the thermos and poured himself a cup. “You’ve been avoiding that girl the whole week. She’s been avoiding you. It’s painful to watch.”
Sarah put her phone away. The ferry engine rumbled beneath them as they pulled away from the Key West dock. Behind them, the pier grew smaller. Ahead, Carlson Island waited.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Too bad. We’ve got twenty minutes on this boat and Esme made me promise to talk sense into you.”
“Esmeralda isn’t here. Just tell her you did but don’t.”
“Yeah, right. Because she can’t read me like an open book or anything. Plus, she’s right as per always.” Carlos took a sip of his coffee. “So here I am. Talking sense into you. Stop self-destructing.”
