Page 51 of Regrets

Colt is the one person I would think could remain peaceful knowing that, but when it comes to P, I have no doubt he wouldkeep that calm only until the knife was being driven right into me.

He won’t let her go without a fight.

He stands up from the bed, pulling away from me and starting to pack again. “Well, I still wish you’d go. I know Dad is no prize, but it’ll be fun. Penelope misses you.”

I swallow hard, thinking about P. I don’t think any part of her misses me.

I remind her of ourmistake.

“I think you’ll all get along just fine without me.”

He smiles, that easy bright smile he’s always had as he shrugs his shoulders and packs his swim trunks. “Maybe I miss you too, asshole. You ever think of that?”

I smile, feeling a stab of pain in my chest, knowing that whether I regret having sex with Penelope or not, I do hate that him knowing I fucked her would kill him.

I pull the green trunks from the bag and hold them. “Why even bother packing these? You going to finally get over your fear of the water?”

He laughs and takes them back from me. “I’m not afraid.” He shrugs. “I just don’t like to swim, but I never say never, and I know Pea would like it if I went swimming with her once."

My parents begged him to learn how to swim for years, but he always hated it. He’d kick and scream every year when we were little and Mom would sign us up for swimming lessons. It was the only time I can think of that he ever gave my parents a hard time. I suppose if it really meant a tremendous amount to them, he’d have tried harder, but they gave up pretty quickly.

What did they care if he liked to swim?

He packs the swim trunks, and I laugh. “Well, good luck with that.”

He laughs. “Yeah. It probably won’t happen this time, but I like to pack them just in case.”

I walk toward his door. “I’ll see you when you get back, okay?”

He nods. “Okay. See ya. Try not to get into too much trouble while we’re gone.”

I glance back at him as I turn to leave. “I make no promises.” I smile at his laugh as I walk back to my room.

Maybe Penelope was right, and it wouldn’t be worth telling the truth. I can’t stand the idea of hurting him.

I’m sure they’ll be very happy together.

27

PENELOPE

Iwatch the water fill the clawfoot bathtub, dropping in a bath bomb I got as a present from Nora for my birthday a couple of months ago. She said they are like going to a spa, transforming your bath into luxury.

I’m skeptical, but I could use an escape.

I went into the shower with Linc a few days ago, determined to get him back for the way he treated me, but hearing that Nora wants us all to go back to the lake house was a punch to the gut I didn’t see coming.

Linc and I have been avoiding each other ever since, but the date is creeping up on us.

I stare at the glass shower and then turn the water off in the tub, removing my clothes methodically and climbing into the hot water full of bubbles. The dissolving bath bomb quickly turns the water a pinkish color.

There’s a wooden shelf that goes across the tub, and after I sink to my neck into the water, I stare at the glass of vodka and the bottle of pills that sit there.

I don’t want to die. Not really. I’m too cowardly to end it all, afraid of the unknown. But my God, do I want to escape.

I sit up and reach for the pills, but my hand stalls when I hear Linc’s deep voice. “Don’t.”

I can’t look at him, but I don’t move.

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