Page 66 of Every Beautiful Mile

“Of course. I had nothing else going on. Glad I could help. It was great meeting you both.”

I bow like an awkward karate student, and Ethan bites back a smile.

Bastard!

Zoey takes a seat at the bar where I had been sitting as if signaling my dismissal.

“Well, bye. You two have a fun night. Not sleeping and all.”

I smile weakly before I walk across the empty dining room, my rubber boots squeaking loudly against the floor the whole way.

The instant the door opens, the cool night air blasts my hot face like a fire extinguisher to a flame. I don’t take a full breath until I get to the inn, where Finn and Marin are dead asleep.

I go to the bathroom and splash water on my face, searching my reflection for an explanation. My gold wedding ring swings through the air like a pendulum as I bend over the sink.

I grab it.

Just like the fluorescent lights don’t hide all the places of my complexion I wish they would, I can’t hide what had just happened from myself. I was attracted to a man, albeit an extremely off-limits man who possibly invented the red flag, who wasn’t Travis.

I blot my face with a towel.

Whatever is happening, I’ll figure it out tomorrow when we drive very far away from Ethan and this town.

Twenty-six

“Mom? What did they say?”

Marin looks at me expectantly from the other side of the booth, and I have no clue what she’s just said.

“The guy at the campground in Bar Harbor—does he have space for us?”

Right.

“Yes, the campground. Not until next weekend once the Fourth of July is over, and even then, it’s on a first come basis. So, we can look for somewhere else this morning to go in the meantime.”

I drink my coffee in gulps, scorching my mouth, desperately needing the caffeine to kick in.

Not surprisingly, I didn’t sleep well. My thoughts bounced between the same overplayed scenarios. Imagining what Ethan and Zoey were doing, absurdly hating Ethan for what he and Zoey were doing, and my personal favorite, feeling guilty for betraying Travis with the first two thoughts.

“Let’s just stay here—there’s so much to do in the mountains, and this weather is awesome,” Finn chimes in between bites of an omelet.

“Are you sure? Seems kind of sleepy if you ask me.” My chest tightens.

“I think it’s perfect. Let’s do something outdoorsy today.” Marin sips her tea. “Oh! And how did it go last night? Did you meet the owner?”

“It was fun helping out behind the bar. I haven’t had a challenge like that in a while. The owner was a letdown, though. A jerk, really.” I pause. “But I liked making the drinks and joking with the customers. They had blueberries—you know I love a good fresh ingredient. I made up a drink on the spot, even.”

I wiggle my fingers playfully.

“Look at you, Penelope.” She smiles through her bite of French toast. “What was the deal with the owner?”

“Hmm.” My throat pinches as I picture Ethan’s face. “He was greasy and looked a little like an ogre. You know the type. Kind of one of those creepy old men. And weird teeth—like the kind with all that yellow film that makes it look like there’s one weird massive tooth.” I twist my face in disgust.

“Okay, that’s gross.”

“Right?” I nod too many times.

“I found a company that does guided floats down the Androscoggin River. Anyone up for that today?”

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