“Well, I feel like a massive idiot for encouraging you to have fun with them at the wedding,” Ana says.
I shake my head quickly. “Don’t feel bad. You didn’t know.”
“You shouldn’t feel guilty about what happened, either,” Marissa says to me. “Because there’s no wayyoucould have known.”
“Maybe we should all stick to book boyfriends,” Ana says, picking up a paperback from the top of the stack on the coffee table. This one has four men on it—four!—surrounding one woman. “Book boyfriends never do shit like this. Well … actually, they do, but they have good reason, and their groveling games are always on point.”
In the evening, I finally hear from Sadie. Not a call, just a text saying that we’ll talk soon, and that there’s a lot going on.
I can only imagine. The text isn’t exactly reassuring, but it’s better than no communication at all.
I’m so curious about how she’s doing, and how Adam is, but since I’m sure I’m a source of stress for her, I’m not going to push for information.
In the morning, my alarm comes early. It had been nice to sleep longer while I was at the resort, but it’s time to go back to work.
I’m actually grateful for the diversion, because I’d rather keep busy than sit around the house crying. My only concern is the possibility of Miles showing up at yoga class. Surely, he won’t. I hope. If he does, I’ll do my best to ignore him.
When I step out onto the porch and turn to lock the door, something catches my eye. It’s a small white bag with a coffee shop logo printed on the side. Inside, there’s an iced coffee with a sticker indicating it’s made exactly how I like it. There’s also an envelope with my name on it.
I tuck the envelope into my bag, and when I get to the health club, I offer the drink to the cardio instructor, explaining that I ended up with an extra this morning.
In the studio, I’m gratified when several of my regular students tell me they missed me. One comments about how strange it was that the man who’d been coming to class was also absent while I was away. I keep a blank face and agree that it is odd.
Thankfully, Miles doesn’t show up for class. Job done, the men have probably left town.
My shift at the sandwich shop is uneventful, aside from the introduction of a new sandwich, the Big Kahuna Daddy. I spend a good bit of my time telling customers about its contents: ham, pork tenderloin, bacon, and grilled pineapple. I take a couple of them home for dinner to share with my roommates, and it turns out to be pretty good.
After we eat, when I’m alone in my room, I fish the envelope out of my bag. It’s a full-page, handwritten note, signed by both Max and Miles. I consider not reading it, but curiosity gets the best of me.
Dear Callie,
We fully understand how angry you are, and you have every right to be mad as hell. We’re not going to try to tell you not to be angry with us. You should be.
But we need you to know that our feelings for you are real. Nothing we said to you or experienced with you was fake, except for things that related directly to our case.
We regret getting you tangled up in all of it, but we can’t regret that we had the chance to get to know you. The connection the three of us share is real, and it’s unlike anything we’ve experienced before. We think it’s worth fighting for, and we hope you’ll give us a second chance when you’re ready.
In the meantime, we’re always thinking of you.
After reading it twice, I fold the letter, put it back in the envelope, and tuck it into the drawer of my nightstand.
I don’t know what to think, and I don’t reallywantto think. I take a shower, and listen to a podcast for a distraction as I fall asleep.
CHAPTER 60
CALLIE
In the morning, there’s another coffee on my doorstep, and I give it away again.
On the third day, anticipating its presence, I don’t make my own coffee at home and instead drink the one the men sent over. I’m not expecting that the taste of it will remind me of the coffee they got for me at the resort, or of all the other thoughtful things they did for me.
The next day, there’s a little sticky note on the drink, saying that they hope I have a good day.
I’d assumed they left town and were ordering the drinks from a delivery service, but maybe that’s not the case.
In the meantime, Sadie finally gets in touch with me, and asks if we can meet at the park after my yoga classes. She brings salads, because she knows I usually eat between my jobs, but it turns out that neither of us has much of an appetite.
“I’m sorry for not coming to see you right away,” she says. “Everything’s been very distressing, and I didn’t want you to think I was upset with you.”
