“Luca, don’t walk away. Please. Not again.” My breaths were inconsistent as I tried to control the sobs that tried to break free.
He refused to look at me as his lips trembled, and his shoulders heaved with emotion. His dark lashes brimmed heavy with tears, and his hands clenched into shaking fists. He was fighting himself, but why couldn’t he see that I didn’t want him to fight it? A lone tear trailed down his cheek, and just like that, he spun around and walked away from me again.
The muscles of my chin trembled. Static filled my head as I watched him take another step toward the resort, away from me. My eyes dripped with tears. My walls, the confidence that held me up, and made me who I was, collapsed. Salty drops fell from my chin, drenching my chest. The trembling didn’t stop. Even as I turned away from his retreating figure and stepped knee-deep into the ocean. The pain was raw. I couldn’t stop the tears as I bent down and plucked a piece of driftwood that floated in front of me.
The wet driftwood was soft in my shaking hands, bleached by the salt and sun. It’s surface swirled in grooves. I ran my fingertips over the ridges. It was the last object on the list, meaning we had won the hunt but I lost him.
Day Four
1 PM - 2 PM - Lunch
I was a fucking tool. Why was it so damn hard to fight these feelings for her? She didn’t deserve it. I hadn’t realized how deep our connection had gone until she’d confronted me. I wanted her more than anything, but I couldn’t have her. I wouldn’t be as selfish as my father. I couldn’t do that to her.
As I splashed cool water on my face, I rubbed it. I cried for her. The last time I cried was when I told Mom about Dad. I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that. I had to get through this wedding.
Grabbing my phone, I dialed Asher.
“Dude, Faith is pissed,” he said as he answered. “We found Mags in a puddle of emotions, knee-deep in the ocean with a piece of driftwood.”
I swallowed the stupid tears back. Driftwood was the last item on our list. She had won it for us. “I did what Faith wanted me to do. I was honest with Mags.”
He sighed. “But did you tell her the whole story?”
“No.” I rolled my lip in and out of my mouth. “I didn’t.”
“That’s the issue! You owe an explanation to the girl. Why don’t you skip lunch and head down to her room? She told us she was just ordering in.”
I blew out a breath of air. “Man, I don’t know if I need to be alone with her. You know, I fucking sound like a wimp saying this, but I cried when I walked away from her.”
“You don’t sound like a wimp. Fuck all that shit your father taught you growing up. Men are allowed to have feelings. Guess what? You have feelings for her, and she has feelings for you. Just fucking fight for it for once.”
I nodded. “You’re right, Asher. I’m heading over there now. Tell Faith I’m trying to do the right thing.”
“I know you are, Luca. You can let yourself be happy. You would never be like him.”
My eyes were burning, and my chest heavy as if it were filled with lead. “I don’t know man, but I’ll tell Mags everything.”
I ended the call and left my room. Each step to her door a few feet away was agony. I hadn’t told this story since it happened. It was locked away, and I wasn’t planning on ever letting it out. But once this was done, she would see why I was useless. Why I didn’t deserve her.
I rapped at her door, and she flung it open.
Her hair was like a lion’s mane, tangled, and frizzy. She blinked tears from her bloodshot eyes, her thick lashes stuck together with clumps of mascara. “I’m thoroughly surprised to see you.”
I gulped. “Can I come in? You deserve to hear the truth. All of it.”
She opened the door and motioned for me to come in. I walked in and sat my hands on top of my head.
“If you’re going to do this, don’t hold anything back. I can’t take any more vague explanations.” She sat on the edge of her bed and patted the spot next to her.
I sat down and hung my head in my hands. She would look at me differently after this, and I wasn’t prepared for that.
She placed a trembling hand on my thigh. “It’s okay, Luca. You can tell me. It’s not going to change my opinion of you.”
I tightened my grip on my hair. If only she knew. “When I was in high school, I skipped class a lot.”
She squeezed my thigh. “You were a troublemaker back then.”
I let out a harsh laugh. “Thanks to that, I was able to find out where Dad really went during those days off work.” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I was at a bar with my fake ID, and I caught him with a woman half his age. They were making out in a booth, real sleazy.” My eyes pricked with tears as the memory flashed behind my eyelids.
She gasped. “Luca, I had no idea your dad did something like that.”
“Yeah, well. He was sneaky. Who knew how long it had been going on.” I released the grip from my hair and sat up. I had to see her reaction. “I made a huge scene. Confronted him and the woman, took photos for proof. I beat Dad home that day and told Mom, showing her the photos.” My voice cracked. “He broke her heart, and I was the one to tell her.”
She shook her head and scooted closer to me. “You shouldn’t
