Valerie winked at her, but it still made Sarah nervous. By that time, it was late enough that Angel should’ve called or at least texted her, and he hadn’t done either. It was so unlike him Sarah was beginning to worry. Either something was wrong, or he was afraid to talk to her. Both scenarios made her stomach churn. The former worried her most because deep in her heart she knew the latter just couldn’t be true. She stuck to her secret mental rule of keeping the checking for possible missed calls or texts to half-hour increments, no more than that.
The giant clock on the bridge served a good purpose. She couldn’t use the excuse of needing to check the time to pull her phone out, but it was that time now, so she checked.
Nothing from Angel.
The disappointment was overwhelming, but at the same time, she felt a little spoiled. Valerie went through this all the time with Alex. He’d disappear on her for days, sometimes weeks at a time. Here it hadn’t been even a full day since Sarah had last heard from Angel, and she felt ready to cry. She took a deep breath and shook it off.
There was a text from Leonardo. She almost felt bad that she’d been so concerned about hearing from Angel she hadn’t even given any thought to the fact that Leonardo hadn’t responded to her text earlier. It was sent almost twenty minutes ago.
Where are you?
She responded simply with the word “Havasu” then slipped the phone back in her pocket, making note of the time. That first evening in Havasu went by fairly quickly and trouble-free. The only real unease Sarah felt all night was each time she checked her phone and found no messages from Angel.
They grabbed a pizza and headed back to their room. Valerie thought it’d be better if they took it easy tonight since she was kind of pooped from the long drive and because tomorrow they were going to hit the lake early and be out there all day and night.
Sarah’s heart sputtered when she checked her phone as they walked into their hotel room and saw she had a missed call from Angel and a text. The flurry in her stomach was unreal. It felt almost like when she’d first started going out with him and she saw him or got a call from him. She clicked on the text, and her heart nearly stopped.
I’m SO SORRY. Call me please.
Her expression must’ve shown the horror she felt at seeing those two words in all caps, because Valerie asked her what was wrong. “Is that something from Angel?” she asked then gave her a scolding look. “Or are you checking Facebook?”
Sarah shook her head, already feeling an unreasonable knot in her throat. He could just be sorry he hadn’t called all day, but then why hadn’t he? “It’s a text from Angel,” she whispered.
Valerie’s expression eased up, and she looked worried too. “What did he say?”
“That he’s so sorry and to call him,” Sarah said, already heading towards the door because she had a bad feeling this was a call she didn’t want to make in front of Valerie or Monica.
“Sorry about what?”
“I don’t know,” Sarah mouthed the words as she walked out the door with the phone already at her ear.
“What did you do?” she asked the moment she heard his voice.
“Nothing,” he said immediately. “Well, aside from going to that stupid party. But I had no idea it was Dana’s party, and then some idiots started fighting and security was called.”
He explained about the coach keeping them after the game today and running them until half the team was throwing up then about how both he and Alex had forgotten their phones in the room because they’d gotten up late and had to run downstairs. Her heart and nerves calmed with every word he spoke, but still one annoying fact remained. “Why’d you go out in the first place? I thought you said you were going to call it an early night, and why didn’t you call or at least text me last night? Did you forget your phone then too?”
She heard him exhale loudly. “Look, babe, I’m not gonna blame anyone else. I thought about it all night last night and all day today. In hindsight, I could’ve walked back to our hotel if I’d had thought of it then. It wouldn’t have gotten me out of the hell the coach put us through today because even the guys who weren’t there last night are paying for our fuck up. But at least I wouldn’t have had to worry about what you were thinking all day.” He inhaled and Sarah could hear it in his voice. He was sincerely mad at himself. “I’m sorry, baby. I really am. We were all in one hotel shuttle, and some of the guys decided they wanted to stop by this party they heard about. I swear to you I had no idea Dana was gonna be there. I spent no time alone with her at all.”
Sarah smiled as her heart began to swell. Her heart never had accepted even for a moment that he’d betray her. “I was so worried,” she whispered.
“I know it looks bad, and I haven’t even had a chance to see all the shit people have been posting today. But I heard about it on the bus from some of the other guys checking their phones. I heard it even made the paper, but you know me, Sarah. I hope you didn’t spend the entire day worrying and looking through all the posts. I’d never do anything to risk losing you. Ever.”
The lump in her throat was suddenly replaced with a feeling of dread. Now it was her turn to come clean about where she was and how long she’d be there. No matter how nicely she’d try to describe this place, it was a meat market, and she knew Angel knew it. It was a place where people her age went there for two major reasons: to party like crazy and to hopefully get lucky. No two ways about it. He’d never been there on one of these weekends, but Alex and plenty of his friends had, and he knew all about it.
“I was mostly worried something might’ve happened to you. It’s so rare, especially under circumstances like this, for me not to hear from you all day, and,” she added because he still hadn’t explained that part, “because, regardless of what happened today, I didn’t hear from you last night either. That’s what bothered me the most.”
“I know,” he said a bit defeated. “I fucked up.”
“What?” she gripped the phone, not liking how that sounded at all.
“I mean. I didn’t wanna call you from the party; it was too noisy. I thought we’d be out of there early because it’s what we all agreed on and I could call you once I was back in my room, but then the fighting started. The cops kept us there until they could get a hold of the coach, and then the coach had to get the driver of the bus up. It was just one huge clusterfuck, and when I finally got back to the room, it was too late. With the time difference, I would’ve been calling you like at three in the morning.”
Biting her lip, she tried to think of how best to just come out with what she had to say. She was quiet for too long, so he spoke up again.
“You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“No,” she said quickly.
“Good because—”
“I’m in Havasu,” she blurted out. “I didn’t want to sit around and think about this all day. It was already starting to drive me crazy and—”
“You’re in Havasu?” His voice lost a bit of its sweetness. “With who?”
“With Valerie and her friend Monica,” she said, squeezing her eyes closed. “But I don’t want you to think that—”
“That you’re there because you were pissed at me?”
“Yes, because I’m not,” she said with conviction. “I needed the distraction, Angel. If I’d been home all day today, I would’ve gone insane, waiting to hear from you.”
“So how long will you be there?”
“Until Monday,” she said.
He didn’t respond to that. Sarah wasn’t sure now which was worse: to have spent all day tomorrow wondering why she still hadn’t heard from him or to spend it the way she knew she’d be spending it now. He knew she was out there, walking around in her bikini amidst a sea of ogling guys like the ones she’d seen sizing her up tonight. On the way back to the hotel tonight, Valerie and Monica were already talking about trying to get invited onto one of those party boats. How else would they get invited if not by prancing around in their itty bitty bikinis
and fluttering their lashes? Even if Valerie didn’t post any of the photos of Sarah, if Angel saw any of the ones of Valerie partying it up with the guys on those boats tomorrow, he’d know Sarah wasn’t too far away.
“All right. I’ll see you then,” Angel said abruptly. “Be careful.”
“No, wait,” she said, gripping the phone. “Don’t be mad at me. I swear I didn’t come down here to try and get back at you.”
“Okay, you didn’t. I gotta go.”
“No, you don’t—”
“Yes, I do. I’ve had a long fucking day, and now I’m getting a headache. I need to lie down.”
“I love you,” she said that damn knot in her throat again.
“Yeah. Love you too. Bye.”
The line clicked, and even though he’d said he loved her and said goodbye, it still felt as if he’d just hung up on her—something he’d never done in all the years she’d been with him.
The moment she walked back in the room, Valerie ran back in from the balcony where she and Monica had been drinking wine coolers and apparently flirting with some of the guys down below. Sarah explained about the party in Hawaii and why she hadn’t heard from him all day. Valerie had obviously sensed that, despite the relief Sarah was feeling about finally hearing from him and having the explanation she needed, she still wasn’t feeling good about it. Sarah told her about him being upset that she was there in Havasu.
“It’s not like you’ll be doing anything crazy, Sarah. He knows this.” She giggled. “You’re not me.”
Normally, Sarah would’ve laughed at that, but just thinking about how the call had ended she wasn’t in the mood. Still, Valerie talked her into having a few wine coolers and winding down. A couple of hours later she was feeling a little giggly herself. They’d since moved the party back into the room because some of the guys outside were suggesting they be invited up and were getting a little insistent about it, though Valerie was still walking out there every now and again.
Just as Sarah had begun to get comfortable under the sheets, her phone rang. Seeing that it was Angel had her clearing her throat and doing her best to not sound buzzed, but she answered before it could ring a second time.
“Hello?”
“Hey, baby,” he sounded groggy. “You still up?”
“Yeah,” she said, bringing the sheet and blanket over her head.
Frowning, she wished she’d thought to tell Valerie to lower the speakers still playing the music from her iPad pretty loudly. Valerie and Monica’s loud giggling voices coming back in and out of the balcony didn’t help either.
“But I’m getting ready to call it a night,” she said, trying to muffle the phone. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” he said. “I needed that nap I took. Listen,” he said, clearing his own groggy voice. “I’m sorry about being a dick earlier. I was just—”
“No, Angel,” she said quickly. “Don’t apologize. I understand why you were upset, okay? I know it looks like I came here to spite you, but first and foremost I didn’t. Second, you know me. Like you, I’d never do anything to risk losing you. You know that, right?”
“I know,” he said, his voice a bit lowered. “Just be careful. I hear it can get pretty crazy.”
“I will,” she said just as someone knocked on their hotel door.
Sarah jumped out of the bed and rushed towards the bathroom as Valerie and Monica hurried past her, giggling and speculating which of the guys from downstairs it could be. She locked the door as soon as she got in the bathroom, squeezing her eyes shut. If Angel heard any of it, he didn’t comment. “What, uh . . .” she began to ask, praying Valerie and Monica weren’t stupid enough to let any guys in their room. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Angel explained about the two-a-days they’d be having tomorrow and how they’d probably be more brutal than normal. Then he told her about how, even after they’d won the game today, the coach still tacked on one more drill for Monday morning, the day they’d be departing, so they were getting zero time to enjoy the island. “Yeah, he’s not gonna go easy on us. We fucked up, and he’s making us pay for it.”
The giggling and noise outside the bathroom had subsided, but Sarah still dared not open the door. Instead, she slid down against the door until her butt hit the floor. She felt bad knowing Angel was having such a brutal time in Hawaii and here she was partying it up with her crazy cousin and her equally crazy friend.
“I hate this,” Angel said out of nowhere.
“Hate what?”
“I hate being so far from you. I wish you were lying here next to me.” He moaned or groaned she couldn’t quite make it out. “I’d sleep so much better if you were. I miss you, sweetheart.”
She smiled, feeling a little choked up. “I miss you too.” Suddenly she could hardly wait to see him again. “Forever and always?”
“I’m yours,” Angel said, making her smile even bigger but at the same time choking her up even further as he added in a low whisper, “You’re mine.”
“Forever and always,” she assured him as she always did.
Long after she’d hung up with him, Sarah sat there pondering as she often did after having spent an amazing day, evening with, or even just a while talking to Angel on the phone. She wondered how in the world she’d been so lucky to have been blessed with a boyfriend like him. She felt almost ashamed now that for one very frantic moment that morning she’d actually considered the possibility that he might’ve done the unspeakable.
Lesson learned. From then until forever she’d trust her instincts that Angel would never risk what they had. No matter the circumstances she’d wait patiently until he had the chance to explain himself.
Chapter 16
Sarah
Last night when Sarah had finally emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see Monica already passed out in bed. Her stomach had turned a bit when she heard Valerie talking out on the patio still but then was relieved when she realized she was on the phone—with Alex. Sarah tried not to eavesdrop, but from the little she heard, their conversation wasn’t quite as sweet and satisfying as hers and Angel’s had been. Valerie sounded a little mad. Still, when Valerie walked back into the room and closed the patio door, Sarah could see she was smiling. Whatever Alex had said to her had her smiling once again. Somehow Sarah knew it would be a long time if ever that Valerie would give up on the guy.
Wanting Angel’s words to be the last she went to bed thinking about, Sarah had feigned the sleep of death when Valerie climbed in bed next to her. The next morning Sarah woke to a text from Angel.
Forever and always, baby. I love you. Be careful today! I’ll talk to you tonight.
That simple text had snapped Sarah out of the funk she was in for having taken off to Havasu on such a whim. It helped shake off what was left of the guilt she’d gone to bed feeling. She texted him back just as sweetly, telling him how much she missed and loved him then sighed in relief that he didn’t appear to be mad anymore.
She and the girls got up, showered, and went to breakfast. The lake was already bustling with Jet skis and every size and shape of boat imaginable. Most of them had bikini-clad girls either lying out on them or dancing and waving cups in the air—cups likely filled with alcohol even that early in the day.
Valerie had mentioned during breakfast what she referred to as Alex’s lame excuse for the photos with girls on his lap. It was the same as all the other times she’d questioned any photo she saw of him with one or more whores hanging on him.
“They’re not dudes. I can’t just physically push them off me.”
“In other words,” she said with a roll of her eyes, “he has no control over these girls who insist on sitting all over him or wrapping their bodies around him. It’s funny how guys like Angel and some of the other ones on the team in committed relationships don’t seem to have a problem with keeping the girls off them.”
“But you two are not in a committed relationship,” Sarah reminded her. “And you
keep saying you’re okay with that. Remember?”
Valerie had stuffed her mouth with a forkful of pancake, and the conversation had ended there.
~~~
Now they were strolling down the lake shore where there were more and more boats docking into the lake.
“We have to find a way to get on one of those boats,” Monica said.
“I don’t know,” Valerie said, staring out onto the crowded lake. “Maybe we should just find a place to lie out and get a tan.”
Yes!
Whatever else Alex had said to Valerie last night and even this morning when Sarah saw her reading her texts and smiling silly had obviously changed her mind about how hard she’d party or how crazy she’d get today. Before Valerie had spoken with Alex last night, she was all for getting out today and making the most of their weekend. Sarah had planned on sticking to her guns and not getting talked into doing anything that might upset Angel, but she was also mindful of the promise she’d made of not being a dud.
“I’m all for working on our tans,” she said casually, looking around for an open space on the shore where they could lie out.
Valerie turned to her with a scowl. “How do you intend to do that when you’re all covered up?”
Sarah glanced down at her tankini, which covered her entire midriff. She’d brought another much more revealing bikini with her, but she decided that morning it didn’t feel right to wear it, given what a meat market this place was. She’d also wrapped a long sarong around her waist that went down to her ankles on the long side. It was still sexy because the other side exposed her leg all the way up to her tankini bottom. “I’m not all covered up,” she countered. “I’d take the sarong off, and I can push the tank up a little to get some sun on my middle.”