“Okay. He didn’t stand you up Leah. He was late, and he tried to explain why.”
I couldn’t believe her. “So I was wrong?”
Tracy put her fork down and stared at me. “That doesn’t matter. My question is why you cared so much that he was late? Isn’t this just supposed to be a fling? Without strings? If there wasn’t an emotional attachment, you wouldn’t have felt so hurt and disrespected.” She picked up her mug of coffee and took a sip.
I repeated my question, “So I was wrong?”
“What is wrong?” she asked. “And what would have been right? Maybe you dodged a bullet or—?”
“Or maybe I missed out on something that could have been great.”
“That… right there,” she said, “is the problem. You were already beginning to hope that it would be something more and at the first telltale signs that he perhaps didn’t have the same expectation or dedication, you cut him off. Perhaps it was for the best. Did he ever explicitly express that he wanted more?”
“Not exactly.”
“So, maybe this was for the best. Hasty or not you nipped this in the bud when it started to become dangerous. Even if you both were to meet again, now you realize why you acted the way you did. Decide from the beginning if you’re going to try to pursue something more with him, and stick to it. But if it is to be as you claim… casual, then act appropriately.”
I nodded, as this did seem to sum it all up, we finished our meal and headed back to the room.
Anne was already up and had a cup of coffee, as she too gave me a look of concern. Thankfully, she didn’t say a word.
“We have two options for today,” Tracy announced. “Standup paddling near the Alanya Castle and Red Tower, or a day trip to Sapadere Canyon.”
Anne scowled at her. “I’m the travel agent that booked this trip. Why are you more aware of things to do here than I am?”
“Tracy, how far away is this canyon?” I would never admit it aloud to the girls but I wanted to get away… from my getaway. How truly ironic life could be.
“About forty-five minutes away from the town but it will be a whole day’s tour. We will have lunch in the village, hike a bit to see the waterfalls, perhaps even take a swim, and visit the Smurfs Cave. Full day.”
Indeed and it sounded like just what I needed. “I’m in.”
We both turned to Anne.
She rolled her eyes at us. “The purpose of a vacation is to do nothing. It amazes me how you both simply cannot grasp this concept.”
Tracy corrected her, “The purpose of a vacation is to explore, and do nothing. Not just will away the time sleeping. I’m going to call the tour center now, to see if they still have some spots for us. They should be starting at about 10:30. So that gives us thirty minutes to get ready. Which do you guys fancy? Jeep Safari or a calmer van tour?”
“It’s pretty hot outside today, perhaps a jeep might be good,” I replied.
Anne however, immediately protested, “Oh no, I’m not getting squished in a jeep with strangers.”
“There’s water fights between other jeeps as we ride along,” Tracy added with a shrug.
I laughed at the horrified look on Anne’s face.
She got out of bed then.
Attempting to stay cheerful, I headed over to my part of the closet to get ready.
After the small tour, we set off to the Sapadere Village and settled down on picnic benches and tables for a well deserved lunch of chicken, rice and salad.
Thereafter, there were short stops at a mosque, a silk factory and watermill, and when the time arrived to visit the Smurfs Cave I didn’t have the energy to even care about seeing its stalagmites and stalactites formations.
Afterward, I sat down with the others who were hungry as we waited for the Jeep and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
I saw a missed call from my mother, Layla, and a text asking how the trip was going, but nothing else… especially from him.
I hadn’t even realized that I still nursed the hope that Carter would reach out, and the fact that he hadn’t hurt more than I wanted to accept.
Anne came over to sit next to me and the only smile I could work up for her was tight. “Fuck him,” she said.
The seconds ticked by and when she didn’t say anymore, I realized then that those two words were just what I needed. My smile slowly progressed into a low rumbling laughter and I felt the creases in my soul begin to smoothen out. I crushed her into a hug, just as Tracy and the rest of the group returned.
In no time, we were on our way back to Alanya.
Chapter 9
Carter
I could have sworn that I felt her presence before I saw her.
The restaurant was in the midst of a valley, surrounded by cliffs. And instead of tables, the parties of guests were seated in Turkish-style sitting pergolas located above the water. My party of business associates from Desa were almost halfway through our dinner, and were amongst the few pergolas that were somewhat distanced from the other rows that housed other guests.
My skin suddenly began to prickle with awareness. Now, what had just moments earlier been a relaxing outing, the stream of the river right below us and the gush of a small waterfall down the rocks of the mountain providing the most serene ambience, turned into an ordeal.
She strolled in from the entrance with her friends, moving along the narrow wooden walkway, suspended above the water. Her stride seemed to be graceful and unhurried. One of them laughed out in amusement‒the blonde one, and held onto Leah’s arm. Her response was a wide but quiet smile, that instantly sent my heart racing.
They were seated in one of the berths at the base
