Page 59 of Until Now

I’m alone.

His things no longer in the closet or on his nightstand. When I see the one item he left, a sob wracks my chest — alone on his nightstand is the crumpled check.

I should’ve known this was coming. I told him to leave, but I thought… I fight the tears building behind my eyes. I’ve done it again — given myself over to someone only to have my heart broken. How could I be so stupid?

The time on the clock catches my attention.

3:47 A.M.

When did he leave? It couldn’t have been that long ago. I wipe my eyes and search for my phone. It’s placed neatly on the dresser next to my now-folded clothes. My leg throbs reminding me I still have another problem to deal with, but it’s going to have to wait. I dial his number and it goes straight to voicemail. “Shit.” I pull on a pair of shorts and a sweater. I almost trip over my own feet pulling on a pair of boots as I run out of the room. I need to get to the airport. Fast.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Daddy sits acrossthe table at The Vintage House. I ordered only a kale salad and declined when he suggested adding a sandwich. I’m not hungry. I haven’t been hungry in the last few days since Nick’s sudden departure. “Davina?” When I look up, I’m met with a sympathetic smile. “Stai bene?”

I know I have to tell him. I have to be honest. He isn’t going to be happy, but he needs to know the truth.

“Nina, I’m worried about you. You come home covered with bruises and a huge gash in your leg, Nick leaves in the middle of the night, and you’ve barely eaten or spoken since. What’s going on? Did you guys break up?”

I can’t hold back the laugh.

“This isn’t funny, Nina.”

“Daddy, ti ho detto, he had to go take care of something for work.”

“Davina Bay, non mentirmi. I heard you fighting, I think everyone in the house did.”

“Non era niente.”

“Didn’t sound like nothing.”

“We…We just—”

“Tua madre ed io siamo preoccupati per te.”

“Mother, worried about me? That’s funny.”

“She cares about you, Nina.”

“That’s why she spent years telling me I was a mistake? She never wanted me, right? She only wanted Kai. Her planned child. Look, Daddy, you want me to be honest? Nick wasn’t my boyfriend. I hired him.”

He laughs. Why is that everyone’s reaction? But, his laugh fades when I don’t join him.

“I offered him money to pretend to be my boyfriend to keep Mother off my back.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“She told me I needed to get over Lee, I needed to move on. She was going to fix me up with the neighbor kid so I wouldn’t be alone while Lee and Teagan were here.” I watch his face slowly set to stone. “I brought someone you wouldn’t know. Someone who could be whoever I needed them to be. Nick wasn’t fond of the idea, but I guess a free vacation and money can persuade anyone.” The table next to us has started to listen. I roll my eyes when the woman quickly averts her gaze. “We ended up getting pretty close. We— I started to feel something more… I thought he did too, but he told me that it was a mistake. Something about Mother and my reputation. It was all too much for him.” I wish he would say something, anything, but he just stares. “Something happened out in Denver and I don’t know what it was, but something changed his mind about me. And for days, I’ve been trying to figure it out, but I can’t. The only thing I know, Nick doesn’t want to be with me. Whether it’s something Mother said or did, or maybe he can’t get past my reputation, I don’t know. But, I’m tired of lying. I can’t do it anymore. I’m sorry, Daddy. I didn’t want to lie to you, but at the time, I didn’t feel like I had a choice.”

Daddy stands from the table without a word and leaves.

Chapter Thirty-Six

The front dooropens and I can hear Michaela mumbling to herself about how I’m going to kill her if I find out she left the door unlocked. But, she’s one hundred, no ninety-nine percent sure it was locked last night. By now, she’s realizing all the lights are and there aren’t any messages on the phone. That’s unusual. “Hello?”

“Don’t you know the last thing you’re supposed to do is say ‘Hello,’ if you think a killer is inside?” She jumps at the sound of my voice when I walk around the corner. A hot cup of coffee in my hands. She still holds her keys between her fingers like a tiny sword.

“Nina!” She practically tackles me, almost spilling my coffee. I’ve missed this. I feel like I haven’t seen her in forever. She quickly pulls away from the embrace, skeptical. She’s trying to figure out why I’m here. I’m not scheduled to be back for at least two more weeks. “Wait, Nina? What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here. Wait, what day is it? Did I miss something?”

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