Page 115 of The Mistakes I've Made
My hand dropped to my belly.
With my phone in my hand, I pulled up the only number I could think of. The name attached to it had once felt like a beacon of hope, a source of calm, and a shield from everything that could harm.
But I couldn’t rely on false hopes and flimsy shields any longer.
And I was over the disappointing men in my life.
So, instead, I dialed another number and made plans to get the hell out of Ocracoke. For good.
Turned out, the people of Ocracoke were like a well-oiled platoon, ready for battle when it came to hurricanes.
“Just another day in the ’Coke,” Molly said with a shrug after I met her and Jake at their home just a few hours later.
She’d kindly agreed to be my ride out of town, admitting that she’d already planned on dragging me out herself if I didn’t come willingly. Honestly, Jake and Molly had been my source of sanity over the last few days. They’d even driven me up the coast for my first ever OB appointment.
Apparently, doctors took things a bit more seriously when you had both an IUD and a positive pregnancy test. The whole appointment had been borderline terrifying as the doctor said words likemiscarriageandhigh risk, but then she’d given me a pat on my shoulder and tried to soothe my fears as she’d gone over all my options.
I’d decided to have the IUD removed, hoping to reduce the risk of miscarriage later on.
I’d left, wanting Taylor more than ever, despite the fact that he’d hurt me more than anyone.
“Aren’t you scared?” I asked Molly, feeling kind of ill prepared with my small duffel bag and purse.
The rest of my luggage would be shipped by Molly when they returned.
Assuming they had something to return to.
“Of course we are, but if we let it get to us, we’d never be able to live here. Hurricanes and storms are just a part of life around here. Sometimes, they pass us by, and we can breathe a sigh of relief, and other times…well, they don’t, and we have to do this.”
And by this, they meant pack up all their valuables—including family pictures, jewelry, and anything else they didn’t want to be swept away or lost—and simply walk away, hoping for the best.
And that was just their home.
That didn’t even include the two businesses they were leaving behind.
“It just all seems so—”
“Hard?” Jake intervened, giving the tailgate one last shove to make sure the minivan was properly shut.
I nodded.
Leaning against the back, he looked back at his beautiful blue house and gave a warm smile. “I’ve lived all over the country,” he said. “California, Chicago, and I traveled a bit, too. But nothing compares to here. And it’s not the stunning views you get while enjoying a pint at Billy’s or even the salty sea air I love when I take my morning runs. It’s the people. My people. And, yeah, it sucks, having to pack all our shit up and leave the house we’ve built together, wondering if we’ll ever see it again, but I know that when we come back, whatever we find, we’ll all be in it together.”
I swallowed hard, knowing, after this, I’d most likely never return to this island again. Because that was what us Harts did.
If it hurt, we avoided it.
And this island and all its memories hurt more than I could bear.
“You ready?” Jake asked, reaching out with his arms to grab my bag, but he stopped short, his eyes moving past me to the road beyond.
Tires crunched the gravel drive behind me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge.
My heart felt him before I even turned around.
Taylor’s door pushed open and he stepped out, determination in his eyes as he stalked over. “You’re coming with me,” he demanded.
My eyes widened as my breath quickened. I tried to slow it, but I couldn’t. “The hell I am.”
