Page 32 of Everything We Left Behind

Aimee cries out, and before James can comprehend she’s gone, she’s back in her seat and buckling her seatbelt, leaving behind a cold and empty space where her body had been pressed against his. James feels just as frigid and hollow inside.

Tears cling to her chin. He wipes one off with his finger and she flinches. She grips the steering wheel with both hands and starts the ignition.

“Aimee?” He hesitates over her name. He feels her pulling away from him and she’s taking his heart with her.

“I love you, James,” she sobs without looking at him. “I will always love you.” She lifts her Caribbean blues and locks onto his brown eyes. “But I love Ian. I love him so much. We have a beautiful daughter. We named her Sarah, after Ian’s mom. We’re a family, a very happy family.”

His heart lands on the floorboard. She’s killing him. He knows deep down inside they will never be together again, but hearing her say the words knocks the wind out of him.

He can’t breathe. He has to get out of the car.

James snaps the latch and shoves open the door. He unfolds from the car before he does something stupid, like yank her back to his lap or switch seats and steal her away into the night. He quietly shuts the door and stares down the street, unsure what to say next, or what to do.

Where to go.

He doesn’t want to return inside. The house doesn’t feel like his. It will never feel like home, not like the house he once owned with Aimee.

The passenger window slides down. “James?”

He forces himself to look at her one last time, because this may truly be the last time. He’s come to realize he can’t live near her and not have her.

She leans toward the passenger seat to look up at him. “I forgive you.”

His soul withers. He nods tightly.

She releases the brake, shifts into gear, and drives away. James dips his hands into his front pockets and watches her until the taillights flash and she’s disappeared around the corner. Disappeared from his life. His fingers curl around the engagement ring he’s kept with him since December. The ring she’ll never wear again.

He wants to curse the world.

He wants to beat the crap out of Thomas.

His phone vibrates with an incoming text. Thomas has been buzzing all evening.What the hell does he want?He digs out his phone. Four text notifications light up the screen.

Phil’s release date is confirmed for next Tuesday.

Talking on the phone with him now. He wants to move back into Mom’s house.

Damn, James, I swear I didn’t tell him, but he knows you’re alive. How the hell does he know?

He wants to see you. He wants to talk about what happened on the boat in Mexico. What did happen?

CHAPTER 10

CARLOS

Five Years Ago

June 25

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Señora Carla showed up at El estudio del pintor this afternoon. She’d seen Julian at the beach with his friends and he told her where to find my gallery. She said she wanted to see my work, but I think she was lonely.

“Your work is so different,” Carla said with fascination. She wore white cropped pants and a pink blouse, tailored and expensive-looking. Several bracelets dropped from her sleeves, landing on her wrist bone when she lowered her arm. Diamonds glittered as she moved.

“Different from what?” I asked, rolling my sleeves as I approached her.

She lifted an angular shoulder. “From what I expected. They’re bright and dynamic.”

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