Page 15 of Dear Ripley

Morgan shot me a look. “You always do get more snarky when you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset, I’m… indignant.”

“Because that’s better?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side here?”

Her expression softened very slightly. “Ripley, I’m hiding in a bush with you. In a dress.Of courseI’m on your side.”

I sighed. She was right. I knew I was being ridiculous, and I couldn’t seem to stop. But Morgan was on my side and I at least needed to acknowledge that.

“I just also want to know where she got that jacket,” Morgan said with a grin.

Morgan was the worst.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, don’t let me stop you if you want to chase her down and ask.”

My chest tightened, terrified she might actually follow through on that. I was big on bravado and… not so much on the reality of Morgan actually chasing my ex down the street to ask about her jacket. Though, that was one way to get reacquainted.

Morgan nudged me lightly. “What’s the play here?”

“How’d you mean?” I asked, my eyes fixed on Alicia’s back. Why did she still have to be the most beautiful person I’d ever seen? Still so poised and whole, even in the midst of coming back to Jackson Point for the first time in years. If the tables were turned, I think I’d be a mess, not just walking down the street looking like I was always meant to be there.

“She’s here for however long, and the first time you see her, you’re hiding in a bush. Jackson Point’s not so big that you’re likely to never see her. So, what’s the play?”

My lungs contracted further. I wish I knew. I wish I could make it all better. I wish I could just… not worry about seeing Alicia.

Breakups sucked. I didn’t know how to navigate them. And I didn’t know how to navigate seeing the person I’d divorced when I was still in love with her.

I sighed. “I don’t know. I wish I did.”

We both heard the crack in my voice, and Morgan reached out to rub my back supportively. She was the worst, but she was also the best.

“I guess I’m hoping I can avoid her as much as possible and she won’t stay long.”

Morgan watched me. “Pretty sure she’s going to be around a lot if Harlow’s here and having a baby. You know what she’s like, big on being there for the people she loves.”

I knew she didn’t mean them to be, but Morgan’s words were like a sword to my stomach. I did know all of that about Alicia. It was part of what made this whole thing so difficult. When we knew we needed to get divorced, we still wanted to be there for each other, we still loved each other. And then we were sitting in the wreckage of a divorce, still loving each other, and being completely alone in the world again.

Sometimes, divorce was nothing like it seemed on TV, and nobody taught you how to navigate that.

My heart felt like it had transformed into a hummingbird with the way it was panicking in my chest. “I guess I’m hoping I’ll run into Harlow first and we can kind of… ease our way into seeing each other again?”

I hadn’t consciously been hoping that, but, as the words came out, they made a lot of sense. Maybe seeing Harlow first would be helpful. If she was moving back here, avoiding her was going to be impossible, so maybe this was the path forwards. At least I’d seen her in the last eight years.

Morgan watched me doubtfully. “Don’t you avoid the poor woman for all you’re worth every time she comes to visit?”

I shot her a furious glance. “Look. Yes. I usually avoid her because—well, why wouldn’t I? It’s just easier for us both this way. But pointing it out is helping nobody.”

“Actually, it’s helping me quite a lot,” Morgan replied, giggling.

“I’m going to murder you.”

“No, you’re not. You’d miss me too much. Plus, if you killed me, who’d hide in bushes with you?”

I glowered at her. “At least I don’t hide in bushes from Harlow. So, clearly, that’s the best way forward.”

“Sure, sure. Your ex-wife’s best friend can be the go-between for the two of you. Can’t see anything going wrong with that plan.”

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