Page 56 of On The Beach

I gasped and took a step away from him. "Mick."

He growled. "Fucking hell, Belle. I didn't mean it…I…look, you need to go, alright? I'm piss-poor company. And I mean it; you tell no one where I am. I don't needyourcrap in my life."

I swallowed back my pain at his words. "Goodbye, Mick. Stay well."

I turned and walked out, the sting of tears sharp behind my eyes. I'd come to him, laid myself bare, begged him to help—and he'd told me cruelly what he thought about me. It was one thing to think that someone was just interested in you for sex and quite another to find out that they think you are a whore.

I had thought I'd look back at these days with a smile on my face, and now I realized that I'd only remember the hot pain that his words caused.

After two drinks at the Coral Cove, I realized that Mick, the man I thought I'd seen beneath the beach bum exterior, was as unreachable as Dr. Augustus himself.

RiRi had someone taking care of the bar, so she could take care of me. Coral Cove was packed with locals and tourists alike, the air filled with laughter and reggae music.

I was nestled at a table with Franco, Cato, and RiRi, each of them doing their best to drown out my heartbreak with rounds of strong island rum and truly awful singing. I hadn'tplanned on drinking myself into oblivion on my last day here, but as the night wore on, I found myself laughing despite the ache in my chest.

Franco raised his glass to me, his cheeks flushed with drink and his voice slurring just enough to be endearing. "To Lady Freeze! The only corporate climber I've ever actually liked."

I laughed, rolling my eyes. "Thank you…I think?"

RiRi clinked her glass against mine, eyes twinkling. "You're a badass, Belle. And if Mick doesn't see that, then it's his loss."

She pulled me into a side hug, nearly spilling my drink in the process, while Franco launched into a loud, very off-key rendition ofIs This Love. We howled with laughter as Franco tried to hit Bob Marley's high notes, failing spectacularly but committing with enough passion to make it hilarious.

Cato leaned over, his face unusually serious, and lowered his voice so only I could hear. "Look, Belle. Mick's…he's complicated. I'm sorry he treated you so poorly." He paused, his eyes softening, "But don't worry, I'm going to make him feel like shit for talking to you the way he did."

I swallowed, my throat tightening. "Can you record it so I can watch it…with popcorn?"

Cato smiled sadly. "Yeah, I can do that."

"It's your last night on the island, Belle; leave the sorrow, embrace thelove." Franco took my hand and stood me up. "C'mon, Lady Freeze, let's dance."

We were too drunk to dance with any grace. It was ridiculous and perfect in the way only a night like this could be. I might've been heartbroken, but I felt surrounded by warmth.

The hours slipped by in a haze of laughter, drinks, and half-mumbled island songs, and before I knew it, the sun started to rise, painting the beach in a soft, pink glow. The bar had emptied, leaving just the four of us tangled in a pile of dirty glasses and each other's alcoholic daze. I looked around atthem, my strange, wonderful friends, and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude—even though things hadn't turned out the way I'd hoped.

I got a couple of hours of sleep, and then it was time to head to the dock. My new friends saw me off, each one more hungover than the other.

"Alright, lovey." RiRi gave me a tight hug. "You take care of yourself and come see us again, alright?"

"I'll try," I said, the words thick in my throat because we all knew I'd never be back.

"You're alright for a nerd." Franco embraced me and kissed my cheek.

"I'll make sure Mick reads what you left for him," Cato promised and kissed me on my forehead. "You go back and keep doing what you're doing to save lives. Don't you give up on hope."

"Thanks, Cato."

As I got on the boat, I looked around, hoping foolishly for a glimpse of Mick, or having him come running to me, Victorian romance style, and tell me he was sorry for being an ass and that he loved me.

He never showed, not that I thought fantasies came true. After all, I was a scientist, I dealt with facts, and the fact of the matter was that Mick was just having a good time with me.

As the boat pulled away, I watched the island recede into the distance, its colorful shacks and swaying palms growing smaller with each passing second. A bittersweet ache settled deeper. My last night on Reef Harbor had been unforgettable, filled with laughter and warmth, even if the one person I wanted to be with had broken my heart.

CHAPTER 19

bottoms first, bottoms last

MICK

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