Page 6 of Happy Harbor
“It was last year, Craig. Of course, I remember. What are you getting at?”
“I remember you saying how you were convinced you wanted the grayish-blue color. You’d watched home decor shows, made Pinterest boards, and cut out magazine articles with that color. Your devotion to that color was admirable. Then, you were so shocked when you painted the robin’s-egg blue on the wall because you loved it way more. Until you saw them side by side, you didn’t realize what you were missing.”
“And your point?”
He looked at her. “You’re my grayish-blue, Josie.”
She paused for a moment, trying to decipher what he was saying. Then it hit her.
“Who is she?” She could feel her blood boiling.
He shook his head. “I’m not doing this, Josie.” He looked around like he was scared she was going to cause a scene, and he definitely should’ve been worried about that. She was highly skilled at causing scenes when needed.
She leaned over the table slightly, talking under her breath. “Three years, Craig. We’ve been together forthree years. You proposed a year ago. We’ve been planning a wedding. We’ve been discussing honeymoon trips. And now I’m just grayish-blue to you?”
“I love you, Josie. A part of me always will. But the longer we’re together, the more I feel like I can’t be what you need, and you can’t be what I need.”
“And what is that?”
“I need... and want... a woman who is open, trusting, kind, laid-back...”
“So, like a golden retriever then?”
He leaned his head back and rubbed his hands over his face like he was about to pull his skin off. She sometimes had that effect on people. He looked back at her, his expression emotionless. “I’m in love with someone else.”
“I gathered that.” Why didn’t she feel sad anymore? She felt angry, but that was her “safe” emotion. Her go-to emotion. She had that one down pat. But there was no sadness. Her eyes were now dry, and her insides were in a rage.
“I met her a few months ago at a dinner party.”
“The one I couldn’t attend?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. I never pegged you to be a cheater, Craig.” Trust issues were the theme of her life, and this was yet another example of why.
“I didn’t intend for this to happen.”
She gulped down the last of her wine, took off her ring, and slid it across the table. “You want me to be more trusting and then you cheat on me. Do you see the irony in that?”
“I do.”
Josie stood up, determined to walk out of the restaurant with her head held high. “Goodbye, Craig.”
“I’m sorry, Josie,” he said, grabbing her hand for a fleeting moment. “I truly wish you the best in life.”
Laughing, she walked out of the restaurant.
* * *
Melody’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “He dumped you?”
Josie plunged her hand back into the giant bag of chips and retrieved the largest one she could find. She crunched down, not caring that the crumbs fell onto her chest. This was her life now.
“He sure did. In the same restaurant where he proposed.”
“What a jerk!”
Josie shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t even care right now. I need a job.”
