Page 81 of Come Fly with Me

“Taylor!” he calls after me, and while I made some pretty rash statements, he knows I won’t quit, but I’m definitely going to raise hell.

Carrie is waiting for me at the door with a glass of wine and a smile on her face when I arrive.

“What a welcome,” I say, but my voice lacks the excitement that wine and a smile should bring. I’m still fuming over my job, and any disappointment or sadness I had over Jake has been replaced by anger.

“It’s a school holiday, and I’ve been drinking since noon,” Carrie jokes, grabbing the bottle of wine from the kitchen island and taking a swig. “So you ready to unload yet?”

“Ready to unload a bottle of wine into my glass.” I roll my eyes and take a seat at the kitchen table while Carrie digs around in the pantry, pulling out a bowl filled with old Halloween candy.

“So, seriously, what the hell happened? I feel like you’re a pretty good judge of character at this point…”

“Ugh…right? How the hell did this one get past me?”

“Did his house look like someone else lived there? Like he had a wife?”

“That was the first time I’d been there, but it was a tiny guest house. Not really the kind of place that two people live, but she was in his fucking kitchen!” The rage blossoms in my body, coursing through my veins and making everything in me feel like it has been turned up a notch. Like I could breathe fire if I opened my mouth.

I tug a hand through my hair, pulling at it and shaking my head.

“So she was sitting at the table? Paying bills? On her computer?” Carrie asks, her eyes narrowed as she processes her questions.

“No, none of those things. She was just staring at the door when he walked in.”

“She was waiting for him.”

“Of course she was waiting for him. She lives there.”

“Nah, she doesn’t live there. She wouldn’t have just been sitting there staring at the door. She would’ve been doing laundry or watching TV or cooking or, fuck, I don’t know, but not just sitting.”

“What are you saying?” I question, getting annoyed as I begin to feel like Carrie is about to defend Jake and his actions.

“I’m saying that you need to let him explain.”

“Why are you taking his side?” I wail, my anger now projected onto Carrie, and wanting her to side with me.

“Taylor, I know you’re mad, but he went out of his way to show you he cares, to support the things you do, to be with you. Why would someone go to that trouble just to decide to fuck you over?”

“I don’t know, but he did.”

“Okay, let me ask you this. Would you have even given him a chance if he had told you he was married?”

“No.”

“Exactly and no offense, but you can be unapproachable and closed off. I’m sure he knew he didn’t stand a chance if he told you he was in the middle of a divorce. You exude that ‘don’t bring your drama near me’ vibe.”

“Thanks, Care. You’re really making me feel better.”

“I’m just saying, I think you should hear him out, and then, after that, if you still feel the same way then move on. But I’m going to predict that he has his reasons for doing what he did.”

“I’m going to let him figure out what that looks like. Let him find me, because I’m not setting myself up to be shit on.”

“Drink your wine,” Carrie replies with an eye roll as she tops off my glass.

Twenty-Eight

Jake

Tahiti is a total bust. All I want to do is leave and despite the amazing location, I spend the entire fourteen hours I’m there in my hotel room trying to get in contact with Taylor.

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