Page 41 of Beautifully Wild

Yasmine stands from the end of the bed and throws her phone on the crumpled sheets. Her eyes pop, her mouth opens, but she says nothing.

My body trembles in a combination of hurt and anger. I grip the door to balance myself. “Did you know?” The words fall out in accusation.

“What did he say?” she asks. Her voice is calm, yet her eyes tell me otherwise.

I flick the door closed and take a step closer to her. “Did you know?”

“What happened, Edes?” Her voice holds the worry I’m holding in my gut.

I make an exasperated sound in my throat and throw my arms in the air. “He left,” I shout. “I mean, what did I expect?”

Yasmine rushes to my side. I stumble, and she wraps both arms around me, guiding me to the bed. She pushes strands of hair away from my eyes, stuck with tears to my cheeks. “What happened?” she says with a familiar warmth that’s consoled me many times over the years.

“I woke up, and he was gone. Not even a goodbye.” I turn and bury my face into her shoulder and let the tears flow.

“He couldn’t, babe. He’s fallen for you, too.”

“Then why didn’t he give me something? Like a phone number, email, anything? Not anI’m sorrynote.”

The door swings open to Bree and Amy mid-conversation.

“Who’s up for breakfast?” Bree sings.

Amy stalls. A panicked expression flitters across her face. “What happened? What did he say?”

“Nothing.” I run my thumb under my nose and sniff hard. “It’s the whole problem. Nothing.”

Both girls’ gazes flick to Yasmine as if they’re waiting for her to say something.

I do the same. “You do know something.”

“He left a note,” Yasmine says to Amy.

“But you were talking to Michael last night. What did he say?” Amy’s voice holds blame.

I gape at Yasmine. “What did he tell you?”

“I’ll grab us some coffees from the restaurant,” Bree says quickly before leaving the room.

“To be fair, I didn’t know what Samuel would do.” Her eyes seek understanding because we have always believed in honesty with our friendship. “Michael told me Samuel wasn’t joining them on the Island. He never was. And he already pushed limits on his work contract to meet up with you here. In truth, he said he never expected him to come to Ilhéus. Work has always come first for him.”

I nod. “And you didn’t think to mention it to me?”

“Did you want me to barge into your room last night? C’mon, Edes, you both knew it was your last night together.”

I let out a sigh. “You could’ve warned me.”

“It was up to Samuel to tell you. I’m pissed off at him like you are. He should’ve explained it himself.”

“Yasmine’s right. He did a shitty thing.” Amy tightens one arm around me.

I appreciate their hugs, only it’s not enough to numb the pain in my chest.

“And now I’ll never know anything more about him,” I rasp.

“You could talk to Michael when we get to the island,” Amy suggests.

My gut sinks knowing it will be for nothing because Samuel will have already returned to his work. If he wanted to see me again, he’d have mentioned it. I need to let it go and understand it was merely a whirlwind holiday romance.

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