Not Another Summer Love Story

Chapter 20 - Not Goodbye

It felt like a never ending stream of children and townies flowed into the ice-cream shop, and I was kept on my feet the entire time. I was so distracted by the customers that I didn't notice the figure sitting on a table nearby until I left the shop on my break.

Susan had made me a sandwich, which I was desperately hungry for, and I took it under my arm as I made a beeline for the bench by the shore. The figure followed me and grabbed my wrist to get my attention.

"Valerie, I need to talk to you." It was Alastair. He looked tired and his brows were set in a worried, or perhaps stressed look. I was going to ask him how cleaning up went last night, but I figured he'd have a maid over to do it or something, knowing his family. And then I decided his serious expression probably meant he had a purpose to find me.

I was stupid enough to blurt the first thing that came into my head. The tone wasn't as friendly as it should have been considering I wanted to be apologising to him. "I'm on my lunch break."

"I know, but it can't wait. I'm going to Beatrice's with my family for a few days."

"Oh, okay."

We sat on the bench together, the same one we'd sat at when we were planning my first mission to allure Logan at the pub. Phase one of the deal. Back then, we'd laughed and ate ice-cream and joked around. Today, we sat and faced the sea rather than each other, while I ate my sandwich in silence until he finally said something.

"I need to tell you that I think it's a terrible idea for you to be with Logan."

I choked a little on the food in my mouth. "Why?"

"Because he's everything you said he was back when we first met," he said.

"I know he's all of that," I replied. That wasn't news to me, I had processed how to handle my conceptions of Logan. I took another bite of my sandwich nonchalantly. It was lettuce, avocado and boiled egg. Working with Susan was a blessing because she always bought along lunch for us.

"Really? We established he was egotistical, Valerie. But I don't think you realise how egotistical he is. What he says to his friends when you're not around."

"Enlighten me then," I dared. His seriousness was annoying me, mostly because, even when we had so much to be discussing, he was bringing up issues I'd already dealt with.

"Last night, just before you were making out with him, on my stairs might I add, he said to Luke and Pete, I quote 'I told you she's able to be cracked. I'll let you know later on what she's like'. Probably not difficult to guess what he meant by what you were like." His jaw was rigid, his eyes narrowed. I gulped.

"Why... why didn't you tell me when he said that? If you heard that you would have told me."

"Because you'd just pointed out how much you didn't need me." He gave me a dark look, which was enough to throw me off. Alastair's eyes were meant to be kind, not hard and hurt. "Not to mention, I had no idea you intended to get it on with him. I thought you were smarter than that."

Ouch. My chest stung a little. What was more hurtful was that, left unattended, I wasn't sure that I wouldn't have gotten it on with him. In that moment things had been so physical I was sure I'd have done anything he'd asked. But I'd never admit that. "I didn't intend to get it on with him. And I didn't anyway."

"I just thought you should know. I also wanted you to know that..." He trailed off, and his eyes left mine to survey the beach in front of us.

"Tell me what?" I asked. "What Alastair?"

"This whole thing-" he waved his hand between us, "-it can be done with. The deal. The promises. I don't think I can be a part of it anymore. I can't help you with Logan, and I can't keep watching it all unfold."