Page 86 of Away With You
“It won’t last,” Victoria declares with authority. “She’s not right for this world. She’ll never fit into his world. She’s not good enough.”
Her words trail off as the mean girl crowd disappears somewhere. Perhaps somewhere to sharpen their claws and polish their horns?
“Wow, that was a lot,” I say out loud, needing to say something to break the silence they’ve left behind. Silence filled with remnants of their cruelty.
Did they know I could hear them? And were they right about Nathan? Does he still have feelings for his ex?
“Right, time’s up,” Angelique appears like her angel namesake, to unwrap me from my seaweed prison and get me out of here. “How do you feel? Like a new person, yes?”
If by a new person she means a slightly more damaged person than the one before, then yes, I’m a new person.
“I feel great,” I lie with a wobbly smile. “But I think I’m done for the day. Can you let my friend Rosie know I’m leaving? She’s still in the tank.”
Angelique’s smile is serene, oblivious of my inner turmoil. “I will. Have a lovely day.”
I muster up a nod and make my escape, throwing on my clothes and hightailing it out of here. My only thought is to get to Nathan and to hash this out. I need to confront him with all of this. I need him to make it make sense.
“Oh, there you are.”
No.
“Hello, Mrs Jackson,” I say, staring up at Nathan’s intimidating mum and groaning internally. I’d been in such a hurry to avoid a landmine that I’d walked straight into a nuclear bomb.
Her blue eyes, similar to Nathan’s but with less warmth, roam over me, and I wonder what image I’m presenting. After my detoxification wrap, my skin is tight and sore and now, glancing down at my arms, it looks worse than it feels. Red blistering patches everywhere.
Fantastic.
“You’ve been missing these last few days. We were just about to send out a search party for the two of you,” she says, baring her teeth in a poor imitation of a smile.
I shift on my feet, glancing around for a way out. On one side, ocean. On the other, more ocean. It’s either stand here and talk to this horrible woman, or swim with the sharks.
It’s like Sophie’s choice.
“Ah, yes. Nathan has been showing me around this beautiful place. I’ve never been anywhere like it.”
She sneers. “From what I’ve heard, you’ve never been anywhere at all.”
Okay, wow. The gloves are off.
I draw myself up to my entire five-feet-three-inches and I stare up at her. “Is there something you want to say?”
Her brow wrinkles, like I’ve taken her off guard. Clearly, in her circles, people prefer to trade thinly veiled barbs instead of coming right out and saying what they mean. In my circle, of me, this is a waste of time.
“Well, yes. I do have a few things on my mind.” She shocks me by threading her arm through mine, walking us away from the spa in a move that, from afar, would make us look like two people going for a friendly stroll. “I want you to tell me what you’re really doing here.”
“I didn’t think we were being opaque with the details of this, Mrs Jackson. I’m here as Nathan’s girlfriend.”
Gosh, I’m so glad this is now the truth. Otherwise, I may have succumbed under the weight of her withering glare.
“But where did you come from? From where I’m standing, my son was heartbroken about Victoria a mere few weeks ago, and now suddenly you’re here and you are both acting very much in love. And I’m not sure I buy it.”
I gape at her. “I’m sorry, it sounds like you’d prefer he was still heartbroken about Victoria. Which seems all kinds of wrong.”
She frowns. “You misinterpret what I’m saying, dear. I very much want Nathan to move on. I was just hoping he’d move on to someone more…appropriate.”
The air flows out of my lungs like I’ve been punched.What is wrong with these women? What makes them think they are superior to me?
“In what way am I inappropriate for Nathan?” I ask through clenched teeth. I’m holding myself together tightly, knowing if I give an inch here, I’ll fall apart.
