Page 46 of One Night in Hawaii

“Doesn’t matter,” I muttered. “He goes home and I go back to my life. I’m not going to waste any more time on it. I have a life. He has a life. It’s done. Please, for the love of God, leave it alone.”

“I think you should talk to him before he leaves,” he said quietly. “You need to have some kind of closure. Don’t tell me you’re okay because I know you’re not. It’s not going to kill you to say goodbye.”

“Why?” I asked. “What’s the point? I said what I needed to say that night.”

“Because you’re going to regret not saying goodbye,” he said. “You’re going to regret not giving the guy a chance. I don’t think it’s what you think it is.”

“Whatever.”

“Penelope called me. They’re leaving tomorrow. This is your last chance.”

“What? Tomorrow? I thought they were going to be here another week?”

He shook his head, and for the first time, I saw his disappointment. “They’re leaving early.”

“That’s probably for the best,” I said, sighing.

“No, it isn’t. Be the bigger person and give him a chance to explain. Tell him how you feel. Maybe if you take a chance and tell him how you feel, he’ll kick that other chick to the curb and be with you.”

“No way.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine, at least say goodbye.”

“I am saying goodbye,” I said. “To you. Get off my boat. I need to get to work.”

“No.”

“Ryder, I’m leaving. Get off or you’re going with me.”

I hopped off the boat and quickly untied it before jumping back in. “Last chance,” I warned him.

“If you don’t go talk to him, you’re going to regret it.”

He didn’t get off the boat. I pulled away from the dock. I warned him. I focused on navigating the boat and chose not to respond to Ryder. It was pointless. I didn’t know the whole story with him and Ashley. Maybe she got cold feet. Maybe Archer was a shitty boyfriend and Ashley panicked a little. That didn’t mean they didn’t love each other. They were going through a rough patch. I didn’t want to be a homewrecker. I didn’t want to be the woman that distracted Archer and caused more problems for their relationship. Everyone lost. Everyone got hurt.

“Maybe you should go talk to Penelope,” I suggested. “It sounds like you’re looking for an excuse to see her. Just go.”

“I’m not looking for an excuse,” he said, laughing. “I am going to say goodbye. You are too.”

“Nope.”

“Yep,” he retorted. “I’m bigger than you. I will lock you downstairs. We are going to their rental house and we are saying goodbye. Period.”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

He burst into laughter. “That’s mature.”

“I’m not going to see them. I want to forget this whole week happened. I’m over it.”

“You are not and we are,” he reiterated.

I ignored him and checked the coordinates to find my way to my dive spot. I knew Ryder could be just as stubborn as I was. He would keep pushing me until I finally gave in. I probably needed to accept my fate. I was going to have to see him again. It was going to be a curt goodbye. I had to brace myself to see him again. Our last minutes together were not my finest.

19

ARCHER

Itried to ignore Penelope as she followed me out of the kitchen, but she was persistent. All I wanted was to be alone.

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