It's Perfect. Until It's Not

runnin

life I desperately wanted to avoid thinking

ves? Where do they move to get a shot

it was

beach town chock-full of all the people too weird fo

escape. Compared to what I was used to back home

d hand, and I had played it even worse. As f

running away from it, that’

rented a room in a house nearby, and I was enjoying the fru

my pale skin and incredibly unfashionable one-piece, both of which came cour

’s. Bronzed skin. Muscles to make your jaw (and panties) drop. He was wearing only board shorts and

nglasses he wore, but he had a strong chi

s and fe

ust s

t a guy like THAT bac

n surfing as fast

der one arm, and he dropped something as he passed

I said, rolling o

pt wa

me!” I c

around wit

ay, then looked down at the little c

g’s Se

iately

ghts about his body, but I wasn’t about

hell is

, ‘The best fo

‘sti

t it… ‘do

ging it out to

I said, blushing even worse

it out of my hand, and then w

u

guys don’t always have

ot ones with pe

oyed the show as he m

when my p

the ring ton

i

twisted and

are, I told myself. You do

lt like I owed him

w seconds… steeled myself… and then

keep my voice even, though

he snapped, piss

to you if you’re going

ing – I was j

like it was a couple of steps a

home, Katie. We ca

t want

e HAVE t

othing to

e are you? I checked with Jen and Susan, an

t telli

ew he was struggling to keep his anger in check. That’s

se was enough for him to hear

asked incredulously.

r

at the house, where it was nice

you wan

at the

at do you w

you to c

, I’m

about this, whether

I insisted. “I’

ou did to me, I thi

de me. “Rick… I told

, and you’re SORRY? Wow, must be nic

han dirt. “I just… I don’

to go get a suntan and play in the water and

placed with icy contempt. “Onl

I told you, that wasn

t belie

iness over drink

funny way of

back to questioning me. “Where are you? Florida? Are

ing up no

YOU D

little r

d the sobs welled up uncontrollably. I pulled

hat, but it wasn’t the main thing. The worst was how I’d ended it, and how

he called – six times in the next four minu

ff my phone, but I guess my guilt got the better of me. I

eft behind every