Page 35 of The Pakhan's Kidnapped Bride
I’m the one who left.
He doesn’t even know why I had to do it.
The beach bar is busy, and I have to park down the road and walk a bit to get there. But it’s a beautiful day, and I’m loving every second of it.
This beats walking that damned garden path one more time.
I can’t figure out what to expect from all of this. How long is he going to keep me here? When will he let me go? What will he do when he lets me go?
All I really care about is that my brother and my best friend are safe, and maybe I need to remind myself of that more often. They are the reason I’m still here—the only reason.
Is that true, Anya? Are they really the only reason you’re staying?
Ugh. My stupid thoughts are at it again.
No, I’mnotsticking around because I hope he will fall in love with me again. I’m not that stupid.
There. Answered. Conversation over.
Sometimes I wish I could turn my thoughts off so they would stop giving my heart hope that doesn’t exist.
The bar is bubbling with energy. Music pours through the air along with laughter and the hum of conversation.
I find a seat near the front, close to the side open to the ocean, where the sun can splash over my skin. At least I am getting loads of opportunities to work on my tan while I’m here in San Diego. I stretch my legs out beneath the table.
I could sit here all day, people watching. And the waves are perfect today, so there are surfers sitting in the backline, waiting to catch one.
This is gorgeous.
“What can I get you?” A friendly young man steps close to my table, holding a menu. “Are you here for a drink, or would you like to order some food, too?”
“Mm. I haven’t really decided yet. Let me browse over the menu. In the meantime, you can bring me a cocktail—something with mango.”
“We have a version of a pina colada that uses mango instead of pineapple. Would you like to try that? It’s really popular.”
“Yes, I love it already, it sounds great.”
He drops a menu onto my table and smiles broadly. “I’ll be back in a moment with your drink.”
I take a deep breath, doing my best to let go of my stress and all those annoying thoughts about Emmanuil.
Hopefully, all of this will be over soon. I won’t have to put up with him and his stupid plans. This is an emotional rollercoaster that I can’t wait to get away from. I don’t need all of this pain dragged up again. I’ve done my best to leave it in my past, and even though I never really managed to let go of him, I’ve at least learned to live with the fact that we can’t be together.
But this situation isn’t helping anything.
The waiter returns with my cocktail, a giant, bright orange slushy, decorated with a slice of mango and a pretty leaf I don’t recognize.
“Thank you,” I grin, tossing the leaf aside and using the straw to stir the thick orange drink. I’ll definitely be having more than one of these.
He leaves me in peace, and I sip my cocktail while watching the surfers fight over the waves.
I miss Emmanuil.
In the past, he would have been here with me, making up silly conversations between those surfers as they battled it out for territory.
A giggle spills from me.
At least I still have the memories.
