The guilt began to eat at me. I knew I shouldn't have told him everything. He wasn't Avery.
"I'm so sorry you're involved in this mess."
"It’s done. I'll learn to deal with it, even though I don't like it, so long as you promise me not to sleep with him again."
"I'm fairly certain that won’t ever happen."
He looked down and his eyes narrowed. "Not fairly certain, Aid. I need you to be one hundred and fifty percent certain."
I gulped down the lump in my throat. "I'll be okay." It was all I could muster. I couldn’t promise anything. The side of his mouth tugged up and he glanced away.
"Be careful. Text me when you get home?"
I nodded. Hayden gave me one more bear hug, then pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek before he released me.
"Thanks for everything. I'm not sure how I would've made it this far without you."
"I'll always be here for you." I smiled in appreciation. "See ya later. Drive safe."
My stomach twisted into a giant slipknot as I watched him walk away. I didn't need to ask the question I was about to because I had a feeling I already knew the answer, but I still did to be sure. It was a girl thing.
"Hayden?" I chewed my lip. He stopped walking and glanced over his shoulder.
I'd shed a layer of skin when I came clean last night. I had divulged my deepest, darkest secrets to him in a risky move. I’d kept nothing from Hayden, I had told him everything. No one knew exactly what I'd been through since moving to Cape Coral, and I planned to keep it that way. While I trusted Hayden, I had to be sure.
"Don't worry," he said, easing my fear. He'd read the look on my face. "Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell a soul. I promise."
My eyes searched his. I found nothing but genuine sincerity. I released a ragged breath, the panic subsiding. He nodded and turned around and continued to his car.
I couldn't find it in me to smile. To find relief. Not when he walked away carrying the weight of my secret on his shoulders.
Eight
I drove for over two hours listening to depressing songs as I made my way up the coast of Georgia.
I'd called Avery numerous times to let her know I would be home early, but she never answered. She was my absolute best friend in the entire world and I wanted to spill every little detail. But after Hayden's reaction, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't petrified to tell her.
Exiting the highway, I headed east and drove for a few minutes until I reached one of two long and narrow bridges that sat parallel to each other. Growing up, I'd been terrible with directions. My dad always said, "The beach is east, Ana," which made it easy for me to learn navigation.
I crossed on to the island and rolled down my window to breathe in the salty air. Lavish cars lined the streets. Porches, Mercedes, BMWs, and Ferraris were the choice of cars driven here along with Lamborghinis. People of all ages strutted the sidewalks, their arms heavy with posh named bags. Every single person dressed to the nines, scarves donned their necks to protect them from the chilly weather. Noses held high in the air, an aura of money surrounded the uppity, entitled people of Amelia Island that was known as the South Beach of the South.
My smile faded. That was the one thing about being a little farther south that I really enjoyed. I never got the sense of privilege over there as I did here.
Thick garland swooped from store to store, red and gold fat bulbs arranged on wreaths topped with giant red bows. Trees expertly wrapped with white lights—never the gaudy colored ones—and leafy palms garbed with green lights. Christmas decorations were everywhere and the holiday spirit was all around. I had to give it to the town, it was a winter wonderland and looked stunning at night.
Veering on to North Ocean Blvd, Amelia Island was small, and it was only a matter of minutes as I drew closer to Avery's house, a large Mediterranean villa home like mine. Her car was vacant from the pebbled driveway where she always parked. I knew school was out for the winter break, but seeing as it was the weekend, I had no idea where she could be since she still