must have been.” He flashed his brown eyes up from staring at my hand and gazed into mine.
“You are the first person I have talk to about this is a long time.”
“Sorry, I don’t mean to pry, I am upset for you.”
“I am fine, honestly,” he smiled and placed his other hand on top of mine. I literally stopped my heart. He tapped it lightly and pulled his hand back. “So, I have to ask, because it’s bugging me, what is a lovely girl like you doing all the way here in America alone?”
I pulled back my hand and shifted in my seat, “Its… complicated.” I answered evasively.
“So, I am guessing then that it’s the same reason you got smashed the other night?”
“I suppose,” I admitted feeling a little warm under my skin.
“Why won’t you tell me?”
“You are a really nice bloke and if I told you, you would probably never want to see me again.”
“A nice bloke,” he chuckled. “Look, Grace, I’m interested in you, okay? I like you and I would like to get to know more about you.”
“So, ask about me, not about why I am here,” I frowned.
He just stared for a few moments, I swallowed hard, I didn’t want to talk about Kevin, not with him. “The man is an absolute idiot.”
“What?”
“The man who let you go for whatever reason, is an absolute idiot, a turd even. Is he the ex-finance you told me about last night, the reason you got trashed?” I bit on my lip on the inside of my mouth. “Okay, so you won’t tell me, it doesn’t matter. I just wanted to know if that’s why you seem a bit…uh….”
“A bit what?” I stiffened.
“Defensive, like you have been hurt badly and…” I pursed my lips and looked away as my temper began to bubble inside. “Sorry, I am just trying to read you and I have to admit, it’s a near impossible task.”
“If I tell you, will it shut you up?” I snapped.
“There’s no need…”
“No, you want to know, so I will tell you. I met Kevin when I was seventeen, he was my first real boyfriend, my first everything. We got engaged when I was nineteen and then in October last year he decided he wanted a break. We were still engaged, but he wanted a time out. Me, being a stupid, deluded bimbo, believed every stupid word he told me and then just after Christmas, I found out that for the last two years of our relationship he had been cheating on me. This holiday was something we’d planned to take together and I almost didn’t come, I almost gave in to my demons and let him win. But I am here and I am going to damn well enjoy it if it’s the last thing I do.”
He simply stared at me as the waiter brought our food and placed it in front of us, but I honestly didn’t think I could eat. My throat felt as though it had closed.
“I am sorry, Grace, I didn’t realize how painful that would have been for you.”
“I am trying to deal with it and I have had some really bad days,” I nodded. “Up until two months ago I wasn’t coming on this holiday, but then I decided that Kevin was a case of mind over matter. I am trying not to mind so that he will no longer matter.”
“That’s an excellent philosophy.” He smiled.
I smiled, “Well, what doesn’t kill you, I suppose… Oh my God, I am so sorry. I didn’t…”
“It’s alright, Grace. My parents died and you broke up with an idiot, that’s our demons, let’s drink to them, they haven’t destroyed us, yet.” He held up his glass of soda. I lifted my glass and touched his.
“And may they never
The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell