on you.”
I nod and lean forward on the table. “I don’t like it when you’re mad at me…at least not anymore.” I bite my bottom lip and look out the window towards the parking lot, spotting Dominic’s car. “I feel like things were changing between us the week before graduation. I felt like we were becoming friends…and I liked that. You shouldn’t worry about Micah…I don’t need him, Dominic. I need you.”
“I know that, Stass. I guess I’m just protective over you and I was trying to think how your Mom would have handled everything and I felt like I let her down. I shouldn’t have made such a scene and I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable.”
I hadn’t imagined he was feeling guilty over how he reacted to him being there. That he felt embarrassed for getting in a low-key pissing match with my birth father. I hadn’t been embarrassed. In fact, I went back and forth feeling bad that Dominic felt in any way threatened by Micah’s presence and slightly turned on at how he chose to handle it.
Keep that to yourself, Stassi.
“And on a lighter note, yes,” he grins from ear to ear as the waitress approaches our table, “I have been working out.”
A few hours later, after passing miles of beach and crossing that familiar bridge that led to our beach house, we are pulling onto our property. I’ll admit Dominic and my mom did good. The house is a gorgeous white three-story, highlighted by a balcony that wrapped around the middle floor with a pool and hot tub just behind the house. We were a stone’s throw from the beach and there were many nights when I was younger that I fell asleep listening to the waves crashing onto the shore.
I hop out of the car, so ready to ditch these travel clothes, get into a bathing suit and take a nap under one of our umbrellas by the pool.
“Place looks better than I remembered.”
“I had some additions done last year, and it’s been a while since you’ve been here. Did you even come last year?”
“Doubt it,” I tell him as I grab my suitcase from the back and start moving towards the gray stone steps that lead to the front door. I hear Dominic unpacking the car as I plop down on one of the lounges on the front porch. I take a deep breath, smelling the salt in the air, and feeling the warm wind on my skin. This is just what I need. Some time away from everything.
Although I had succumbed to tears a few times, it feels like I’m not coping. I barely have the energy to keep myself going from day to day. I focused on hour to hour and sometimes minute to minute. For the most part, I disallowed myself to dwell on the pain I’m feeling so I do everything I can think of to keep my mind off of it. Maybe this is the perfect place to really start healing. Without the helpful but very prying eyes of everyone around me. I lean my head back against the chair and let my eyes close as I wonder how different my life was a few months ago. A deep sigh leaves my chest and when my eyes flutter open, Dominic is standing over me. “Want to go in?”
“Definitely. I can’t wait to get out of these clothes.” I hear him trailing behind me and I’m instantly met with the sharp contrast of the freezing cold temperatures of the house. “Holy shit, it’s cold in here!”
I hear chuckling behind me. “I had them cut on the air when they came to clean the pool and hot tub, I guess they set it to arctic chill.” I’m bouncing on my heels as I watch Dominic move the thermostat a few degrees before he looks at me. “Let’s just get outside; it’s much warmer out there.”
“Seriously.” I don’t even bring my whole suitcase, I just rip into it for my bathing suit, my hat, my kindle, and some sunscreen. Within minutes, I’ve donned a yellow bikini that in no way shape or form would my mother let me wear anywhere but our private pool. The bottoms are a thong style that covers the space between my legs and not any part of my ass. The top covers everything, though just barely, held together by two strings that tie behind my neck.
I pull my hair from the confines of my bun and