Page 124 of Memories By the Shore
I give him a quick fist bump and say an even quicker goodbye to Riley and Bodhi. “I’ll keep you guys updated.”
By the time I exit the restaurant, I’m already on my phone looking up flights to Phoenix.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Now
Avery
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I can’t believe what I’m about to do. I thought about it constantly all night. Sleep was not going to happen, so I just gave up, spending the entire night staring at my dark ceiling and listening to the air conditioner hum when it turned on and off.
When I left the girls yesterday at the wedding dress studio, they had more than enough questions to make my head spin. To appease them, I said I needed time and would speak with them in a few days. But knowing my friends, they’ll be banging on my front door soon. I can’t tell them what I’m about to do. I need to do it fully on my own.
“Hello, my bride.” Dave answers on the first ring.
“Hey.” I nervously scratch my forehead. “Are you free for dinner?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s not our night, though.” The running water is in the background, and the distant sound of his voice tells me he’s still at work.
A bit of our relationship the girls always give me a hard time about. They’ve never been comfortable with Dave wanting to be alone twice a week. It never bothered me because I never had thatneedalways to want to be with Dave. The more I thought about it, the more I realized it was strange.
“I know, but I need to talk to you about something,” I say straight out. It’s no use being cryptic.
He sighs, pausing briefly before responding, “What is it now?”
“Can we meet at the pizza parlor down the street from my building?” I ask, understanding his frustration but choosing not to bring attention to it.
“You’re not going to tell me?” he presses, his voice clearer this time. Maybe he stepped away from one of the patient rooms and into his office.
“I’d rather just talk about it in person,” I say, anxious that he’ll continue to push back.
“I can come by your place when I get off work,” he offers. I’d rather be in a public place. Not because I’m scared of Dave but because I want to keep things clean cut and to the point.
I think of something on the spot. “It’s a new restaurant, and I’ve been wanting to try it for some time.”Not completely a lie.“I figured this would be a good opportunity.”
“That’s fine,” he replies with a clipped tone.
I don’t blame him for his feelings. I’d feel discontented as well. I’ve put him through a lot in the last few weeks. Hopefully, getting what I need off my chest will comfort us both. I’m ready to move on from the previous eight years, and my patience is growing thin.
“Thanks, Dave.”
“I’m just finishing up with my last patient, and then I’ll head over there,” he tells me.
“Okay, see you—” Dave instantly cut off my words by hanging up the call. I squeeze my eyes shut and fall back onto my couch, not bothering to call him back.
Over the next hour, I drift in and out of sleep, passing the time before I’m sure Dave has left his clinic. I peel myself off the couch and head directly into the kitchen. Taking a sharp left and turning toward the wet bar, I grab a bottle of bourbon. Forgoing a glass, I take a swig right from the top. The warmth rolls down my throat, eventually coating my stomach.
“That’s better,” I whisper to myself, smiling down at it as I would an old friend.
With extra courage, I slip on my shoes, swipe my keys off the counter, and head out the door.
As soon as I round the corner in front of the pizza parlor, I see Dave leaning against the hedge next to the entrance. We make eye contact. He nods quickly and pulls me in for a stiff hug. He suspects something is up.
“Thank you for meeting me,” I say, brushing off the nervousness whirling in my stomach.
“Yeah, sure,” he murmurs, leading me into the restaurant.
The hostess escorts us to a corner table by a window.
