Page 89 of Come Apart
Chapter Fifteen
Alyssa is sitting on the edge of the pool.
Her dress is hiked up to her thighs and her legs are dangling in the water. She doesn't look up when I step into the backyard. She keeps her attention on the clear blue water.
The sky is streaked with the red glow of sunset. It's dim, dim enough that the pool lights are illuminating the water with a pleasant glow. The light dances on her face, but I can't find the beauty in it. All I see is how much she hurts.
"Hey," I say.
She runs her fingers over the hem of her dress. "Hey yourself."
"I have a terrible problem."
"Oh yeah?"
"Mhmm." I step into the backyard. "I'd like to sit next to you, but I'm still in my suit."
She smirks. "That’s quite the dilemma."
Her eyes stay on the pool. Her hands stay on her dress.
I strip to my boxers and leave my clothes in a pile on the floor. The evening air is cool, but it feels good against my skin, like it's waking me up.
I move to the pool and sit next to her. She turns her gaze to me, looking me up and down like she wouldn't dare miss a chance to see me half-naked.
She starts at my eyes and works her way to my toes.
She laughs. "Nice socks."
"This is my seduction outfit."
She smiles. Her eyes are bright. "It's working."
I slip my feet, socks and all, into the water. She laughs again, and it's like some of the fog surrounding her has lifted.
"I'm sorry about this morning. I did want to talk to you about it. I do." She pulls at her dress.
"We’re both here."
She nods and scoots a little closer to me. Her eyes stay on the water, but she rests her head on my shoulder. "I had a feeling I'd fuck up the food challenge on my own, but I couldn't bring myself to call you. I kept picturing Samantha sitting there next to you. I didn't particularly want her in on that conversation."
"I would have been happy to step away for an hour or two."
"It might have gone the same way if we were on the phone. I could have started freaking out and hung up on you."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
She presses her fingers into her dress. "It's not the same when you aren't here."
"I wanted you to wait for me to come back."
"I wanted to rely on myself. What if you leave to see Samantha again next weekend? I need to depend on me." She presses a hand to her chest to emphasize the point."
"It's not like that. I don't plan on being there every damn weekend."
Alyssa presses her palms against the concrete. "Maybe you don't plan on it. But what if she tries again?"
I run my hand through her hair. "You're much more important to me."
