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“Why would I stay?”

He frowns. “You’ve been sleeping at Robbie’s for the past few weeks, I assumed⁠—”

“Nothing happened. He let me sleep in his bed, and that was it.”

Lie.

“Oh.”

“I’ll come up to see you in a couple of weeks. See how you’re getting on with all the police bollocks.”

Another lie.

“I’m glad you’re staying,” I say. “I think you’re good for each other.”

And a truth.

“You feeling okay? Was that something nice that just came out of your mouth?” he teases.

“Alright, I’m glad Theo showed up because I was worried you’d be perpetually single,” I smirk. “Better?”

“Much,” he says dryly. “I gotta go. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

I wait for him to leave before I drop a tip on the table and head out myself. Just my luck that it’s absolutely pissing it down with rain. I start walking back to Robbie’s, letting the freezing rain soak me through while I think about what I’m going to do now.

Bailey’s actually staying. I wasn’t kidding when I said I was worried he’d be single for the rest of his life. I don’t think he’s been on a date for years, and he always hated hookups. But buried under my concern was the safety I felt in his predictability. When I woke up from a nightmare, Bailey was there. When I went to work, Bailey was with me in the car. In the evening he made sure I ate, and when we went to bed there was an unspoken agreement that I would be in with him.

After everything he’s gone through, Bailey deserves whatever he wants, but there’s a spiteful voice in my head saying he’s chosen Theo over me. I hate myself for thinking it, but the voice won’t shut up. I felt the same when Richard moved here and when Dad started dating Sarah.

Everyone leaves.

Even Jamie.

I need to talk to him, but he still hasn’t come back to me since the night he said I was still mean. I’m terrified that this is it, that he’s gone forever.

There’s only one way to know for sure. I need to go home. I need to go back to the cliffs, and if he doesn’t show up there, then I don’t know what I’ll do.

Thankfully, Robbie’s not home when I get back, because it makes what I’m about to do much easier. I pack up my things, leave his spare key on the kitchen counter, then head to the bus stop.

I can’t wait until tomorrow. Can’t wait a minute longer feeling trapped on this island.

I want off.

ROBBIE

“He’s fine!” I shout, coming through my front door. Isla and I stayed with Theo until Bailey returned home and started fussing over him like a mother hen—which apparently he doesn’t mind, even though he shouted at me and Isla to “get the fuck out” when we tried doing the same. Completely unreasonable reaction considering he was stabbed.

The house is silent as I throw my keys on the side table by the entrance. “He was a grumpy bastard, so I’d say he’s pretty much back to normal,” I say as I poke my head into the living room, only to find it empty. “Noah?”

I jog up the stairs and open the door to the spare bedroom, freezing in the doorway. “What the hell?” I mutter, looking around the room. The suitcase that’s been sitting on the ottoman at the end of the bed for the past two weeks is gone, and the bedsheets have been stripped.

I swallow my anxiety, shutting the door slowly. I don’t even try to reassure myself that he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye, because I know damn well he would.

I pull out my phone and call Luke.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Luke, don’t suppose you’ve seen Jake around?” I try to sound casual, and not like my heart is trying to jackhammer its way through my ribcage.