He blinks and finally notices that I have bags with me. “Seriously? You said you would be here.”His voice carries a hurt that stabs me like a knife.
“I did say that. But then I ran into Scarlett in the spa and had a very good conversation about life, and then we decided to go shopping.”
“In the spa?” he asks. “I thought you needed time alone. Or was that just time alone from me?”
“No!” I say immediately. “I thought time alone would help, and then it didn’t, so I went to the spa. Which is mostly alone. Running into Scarlett was a total accident.”
Nate’s jaw tics and he speaks slowly. “And throughout all of that, you never sent me a text?”
“I didn’t think about it. And you were busy.” The excuse sounds weak to my own ears. It hits me that we’re fighting and I havenoidea what to do. The only experience I have with fighting is with Rob.
“Right,” Nate says. “So you not only told me you’d keep in contact, but you went onto the same island as me and didn’t consider I might want to come? Really nice, Maisie. I love that.”
Tears immediately spring into my eyes. My stomach is in my ass. I’ve never forgotten him like this before. “Nate, I’msosorry. There was really no plan for any of this, and I should’ve stopped for a moment and considered you.”
It comes from the heart and I do mean it. But when people are mad, apologies take a while. I fully expect Nate to snap or tell me he’s too mad to talk and to walk away from me to calm down.
But at my words, he takes a deep breath and his shoulders loosen.
“I was really worried about you, berry. Can you please try to communicate next time?”
I blink. That’s it? We’re having a fight and he’s not continuing it? He’s simply asking me to do something different if it happens again?
If only Scarlett were stalking us. I’d love to get her opinion on this.
“Of course,” I say. “Seriously, I’ll be better. That was on me, and I wasn’t thinking clearly. She offered for me to try something ... scary with her, and I was more focused on that.”
“Something scary? Like go on the dock?”
“That, and shopping for something for a new goal of mine.” My hands tighten. “But you’re still mad at me, so we can talk about it later?—”
Nate holds his hand up, which makes me shut my mouth. “I don’t stay mad long. Not at you.”
“You should. I feel terrible about it.”
“Which means you probably won’t do it again.” He gives me half a smile. “You’d never hurt me intentionally.”
“Hopefully not unintentionally either,” I add. “I would feel awful if I did.”
He pauses for a moment, eyes going distant as he thinks about it. “That ... is a part of life, berry.”
“Wait, have I? When? What did I do?”
He shakes his head. “It’s nothing you can control. Trust me, it’s not.”
“But—”
“All I ask is that you please don’t avoid me. I can’t take that.”
I nod immediately. “I won’t. I promise. And what I want to do involves you anyway, so it definitely won’t happen again.”
“And what do you wanna do?”
“I want to learn how to swim.”
Nate rears back. “What?”
“That’s what Scarlett and I talked about. Water is a thing I’m gonna have to deal with. And you’re not always going to be there to catch me if I fall.”
