Undertow by O'Roark Elizabeth

Author:O'Roark, Elizabeth [O'Roark, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-08-21T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

I sleep fitfully, and wake at daybreak. It’s low tide and the water is calm, perfect for swimming. I take off for the sandbar, and I swim until my pain and my thoughts of him lose their distinctiveness and begin to blur and dull.

I’ve almost regained my equilibrium by the time I get to Peter’s office.

“I heard two things this weekend from Stephen Mayhew,” I tell him tentatively, seeing his eyes light up when I mention Ethan’s dad. “The first is that his plan, if the state maintains the beach is still public, is to argue that the road is private property owned by the association.”

He rolls his eyes. “That’s a ridiculous argument. The state took that land away from them and built the road nearly a century ago.”

“And the other thing,” I add, “Is that they plan to tear up the public walkways once they’re rebuilt. I got the impression they’d do it just like they did last time – all at once.”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he grins, slapping his hand on the desk. “That’s really good to know, Maura. If we could catch them at, it might be enough to end this nonsense – it’s going to make some very wealthy people look very, very bad.”

My smile is slight. Because that’s kind of what I’m afraid of.

**

I spend the entire week consumed by equal parts arousal and humiliation when I think of Nate, and I hate myself for the part that is aroused. I go to Oak on Monday. He’s playing pool, leaning over some girl while he makes his shot. It’s so overtly sexual that I feel sick to my stomach. He glances over at me as they walk out, and for once he looks torn rather than angry.

I’m beginning to think that I need to leave — not just the bar, tonight, but Paradise Cove entirely. My apartment is available in August, and I can always fly back to Charlotte for Elise’s wedding. It will hurt my grandmother, and Ethan, but I’m not sure how much more of this I can stand.

**

Ethan calls on Wednesday to tell me he has to go to Houston for work and won’t be able to make it down for the weekend. I didn’t realize, until now, how much I wanted him here as a buffer, as a way to hurt Nate back. Both of these are unjustifiably selfish reasons to want him here.

“Why don’t you come with me?” he suggests.

My heart leaps at the idea, for about two seconds. “Aren’t you going to be at a conference all day?”

“Well, yes, but I’ll be free at night. Once the dinner thing is over.”

I laugh without much humor. “So basically I’d see you from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday night, and then the flight home.”

“I can see where that’s not the greatest deal for you, but I’d make that one hour the best hour of your life.”

“Really?” I giggle, with clear doubt.

“Okay, maybe the best hour of your month,” he jokes.

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