Page 67 of The Road Sometimes Taken

I splash water on my face and flinch at the temperature and the memories that invade me suddenly. How stupid was I that I didn’t see him for who he was? A misogynistic asshole messing with my head. Completely tearing me down instead of growing with me, instead of trying to build me back up. I was so blind. How come I didn’t see it?

I turn off the faucet and pull some paper towels out of the rack to dry my hands and pat dry my face, wiping the paper towel under my eye and erasing any proof of the tears shed.No more, Cara. He doesn’t deserve any more of your tears.

I leave the bathroom, ready to go find Manny and get the hell out of here. But as I find him in the crowd, I notice Tasha and Cole walking my way.Kill me now, please.

“Natasha. Cole,” I say politely, nodding and trying to get away from them as quickly as possible.

“What? You’re not even going to wish us well? Tell us congratulations?” Cole snaps, holding Tasha’s hand up and flashing her ring at me. She’s beautiful, I’ll give her that, but only on the outside. Long glossy blonde hair, pretty eyes and legs for days. Wearing a tight dress that leaves nothing to the imagination, she looks like a mermaid but she’s more like a siren than anything. Wrecking lives.

“Oh yeah, congratulations are in order. I hope you two live a very long happy life together. Now if you excuse me,” I persist. But before I can turn around, Tasha speaks up.

“You’re all the same, aren’t you? Only happy when it’s you.Only worrying about each other’s happiness—damn everyone else. You couldn’t make him happy but you can’t be happy for him? I thought you loved him,” she spits out. And now? Now I’m not upset, I’m angry. How dare she?! After everything she has done, she’s still blaming others.

“Don’t worry about her, baby, let her go. We won in the end,” Cole snaps behind me and now I’m not only mad, I’m furious.

“Tasha, you know what? I’ve tried taking the high road. I’ve tried being civilized, but you… You have to push, and push, and push until someone snaps.” I turn my body around to face them head on before channeling my inner badass and saying, “And you—you fucking misogynist asshole. Just full stop. Just stop. The best thing that could’ve ever happened to me was you dumping me because I deserve better. And you know what? So do you, Tasha. It’s not normal what you two are doing and if you can’t see it, I feel sorry for you. But I do wish you the very best.” The commotion from our heated argument must be causing a bigger scene than I thought because suddenly there’s people crowding near where we are. Exactly what I was avoiding.

“You stupid bitch, don’t talk to her like that,” Cole shouts and I gasp at the same time that Tasha holds his arm back. It’s not only my gasp I hear and when I look to the side, I find some people doing the same. I’m so damn thankful Livi and Alex are probably outside at this moment because this is enough of a shit show as it is.

“If I were you, I would consider very carefully what I say next,” I hear an unmistakably deep voice say. I look to my left and I see Manny walking toward us with his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes dark locked on Cole.Oh shit.

“Now you need a man to fight your battles for you?” Why is he being even more of a jerk right now? He was always shortfused but now he’s being evil for no reason. He dumped me. He got the other girl. He can live happily ever after and leave me the fuck alone. But no, he has to nudge and nudge the bear.

“I don’t need a man to do anything, especially not put you in your place.”The bear got nudged enough.

“You needed me for years,” he says, completely ignoring Tasha and standing up straight.

“Well you’re not a man, Cole. Because a man wouldn’t talk to a woman like that. A man wouldn’t want to make a girl feel bad about being happy and being herself. A man—” I say stepping forward closer to him to point at his chest “—wouldn’t cheat on his long term girlfriend with her fucking friend. I may have been blind before, Cole, but I can finally see. You two,” I say pointing between them, “you two deserve each other. Have a nice life.” I walk away from them, standing near Manny but before I can chicken out, I turn around and say, “And Cole, lose my fucking number. You’re not a middle schooler, grow the fuck up.” Tasha looks at him after that statement like this is news to her too. Ha, good luck, sweetie. He won’t change.

“Don’t you walk away from—” Before he can finish that statement, Manny turns around and punches him dead in the face.

“Manny!” The group of people watching has gotten bigger and so many of them gasp at that movement. I see Alex rushing through the murmuring crowd of people, finally making it to where we are standing and enjoying the show.

“I told you to watch it and I heard enough. Someone should have punched you a long time ago.” Manny shakes his hand and walks to me, his features softening but still looking concerned.

“You need to go, now!” Alex shouts at Cole, who is now by the wall holding his face. “Get out!” Alex shouts.

“Are you okay?” he asks me as Cole and Tasha walk awayfrom us and some of the people go back to the dance floor. I don’t want any of them here though.

I nod my head, looking at them and then saying, “I’m so sorry for ruining your perfect night.”

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. I’m going to get people to walk away and give you some privacy. I’m sorry,” he repeats before standing up and walking the people back to the dance floor.

As he leaves, Manny stops right in front of me, his hands coming up to hold my face, he asks, “Are you okay?”

I nod because if I open my mouth to talk my voice will be shaky or I’ll end up crying, and I’m done shedding tears over this shit. I’m closing this door and never opening it again. Done with him, his bullshit, and getting hurt by a man who is not even worth it. Not worth my time, my tears, not even worth my thoughts. Manny searches my eyes and I’m sure he can see the turmoil behind them because his features were just hard a minute ago but now soften as he traces my cheek tenderly.

“Do you want to get out of here?” he asks, not dropping my face from his hold or his eyes from mine. I blink once and that’s all the answer he needs. He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the exit. We stop at the table for my purse, my head still down avoiding eye contact, and then I let him lead me through the hotel. I’m not sure where he’s taking me but I’m not questioning him because if there’s one thing I do know it’s that I trust him.

We walk through some doors that look like an employee-only area and after a small dark hall, he pushes through white double doors that lead to a lively kitchen. It’s full of cooks and people dancing around the stoves, moving ingredients, and creating magic in the form of food.

“You can’t be in here!” someone shouts and Manny ignores them, walking until we reach the refrigerator. He opens the topdoor and pulls out a bag of frozen peas, before picking up the pace and walking us both out of here.

“Manny, slow down,” I protest, trying to keep up with him. The heels are not cooperating and honestly, we probably shouldn’t be running either way.

He holds my hand tighter and continues to guide me through the hotel and into the beautiful back garden. It’s dark with just a few garden lights illuminating a small path to a bench near a fountain. He doesn’t slow until we’re by the fountain and then he finally turns around and hugs me tight.

“Are you okay?” he whispers against my hair.

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