Page 96 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
The dreaded moment has arrived. Adrian checks out of the resort and the two of us say our goodbyes at the jetty. I hold him tight, disregarding the impatient captain who was meant to depart with this boat of guests ten minutes ago. My stomach clenches, sick with the reality that this week has come to an end and Adrian is about to leave the resort, get on a plane, and fly thousands of miles away from me.
“I don’t want you to leave.” My eyes scrunch shut to avoid tears. They fall down my cheeks, anyway. “Pack me in your suitcase with you.”
Adrian pulls back to meet my face, frowning at my tears. He wipes them away with his thumbs and kisses my lips. “This is only goodbye for a little while. We’ll see each other soon. Remember your rules—we FaceTime five times a day and send hourly texts.”
His attempts to make me laugh don’t work. “FaceTime isn’t the same. And what if they sit you next to some beautiful woman on the plane?”
“I don’t look at women the same way I look at you. Everything is perfect between us, okay? Promise me you know that.”
“But… What if I wake up and this has all been a dream? What if this isn’t real and you hate me again?”
“Impossible. I’ve never hated you.”
I hold Adrian tighter, soaking up his scent and hoping it clings to me long after he’s gone. I take a mental note of how his arms feel around me and the warmth radiating from his body.
“We haven’t had time to discuss our relationship,” I say. “Are we one of those long-distance couples? How is this all going to work?”
“Verena,” he hushes, leaning back to meet my eyes again. “Stop worrying. We’ll talk about this on the phone. Everything will sort itself out. Please don’t panic.”
“How are you so calm about all of this?”
“I’m not. I’m just trying to be the strong one. Nothing will ruin what we have. Promise me you know that.”
I nod when words fail me. Adrian pulls me into one last kiss, then he’s gone, and my vision is blurred as I watch the boat take him away from me.
Instead of packing for my own departure, I spend a good hour back in my bungalow, sprawled out on the bed and feeling sorry for myself. How is it possible that a few hours ago Adrian and I were in this exact spot, making love, and now he’s gone? I decide I hate the invention of time, and that whoever created it should be burned at the stake.
At midday, Darius and Zac come knocking at my bungalow. As soon as they answer the door, they see how miserable I am. I see how miserableZacis. His eyes are red from crying. Without a word, Zac and I step into a hug to commiserate each other.
“It’s over with Penny, for real,” he mumbles into my neck. “She’s filing for divorce.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Okay, I’m not. You deserve so much better. Someone who is crazy in love with you and makes you happy. Penny hasn’t fit the criteria in a long time. But I am sorry for the pain you’re going through. I’ll be here every step of the way to help you.”
He holds me closer. “Thank you.”
As soon as Zac steps back, Darius ruffles my hair and drapes an arm around my shoulders. “Cheer up, kid. Let’s get some lunch. I’m dying to hear all about how good Adrian is in bed.”
I wipe my eyes and follow them to the restaurant. When we arrive at the buffet, Darius goes against Zac’s and my wishes and makes a plate for each of us, even though we insist we’re too sad to eat. Barely a minute after we sit down and I pick at my food, Tory and Phoebe take the other two seats at our table, glowing with the love and happiness of newlyweds.
“Here’s the happy couple,” Darius says. “How does it feel to be married?”
“Amazing.” Phoebe smiles, kissing Tory’s cheek.
Tory is too busy eyeing me to respond. “So, now that I can focus on something other than the wedding, how did things go between you and Adrian? Are you officially together?”
“Wait, what?” Phoebe asks. “What do you meanofficially?”
I let Tory and Darius catch her up on the situation as I drown in my sorrows with memories of the most blissful night with Adrian.
When their explanation finishes, I add, “We had an amazing week together and a perfect night last night. He says we’ll work things out, but I don’t see how. He lives in London and I’m in New York. I’ve tried long-distance before, and it doesn’t work. I want to be with him. Right now and always. We’ve wasted too many years apart.”
“Why don’t you go to him?” Zac asks. I’m surprised he’s able to focus on anything other than the divorce. But that’s Zac for you, always the believer in grand gestures of love. He put his heart on the line for Penny by bringing her to Australia, and it pains me that this time his grand gesture failed.
“Adrian’s plane is taking off right about now. I won’t make it to him in time. Even if I do, then what? He’ll still have to board it, and I’m flying back to New York this afternoon.”
