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“Trust me, Andries isn’t letting anyone forget his feelings––” I jolt slightly when there is a knock on the door, and my instincts tell me who it probably is without me even checking. Just like Andries called Elise while we were discussing him earlier at the coffee shop, chances are that it’s him at my door interrupting the conversation that I’m having with my dad about our friendship. “Hey, Dad, there’s someone at my door, can we talk later?”
I tell my father goodbye and hang up the call after promising to call him soon. Whoever is at my door knocks again, impatiently, and I yell for them to go ahead and come in.
Like I suspected, it’s none other than Andries, wearing a rather sour expression. “Well, you got your wish. Johan is packing up and wants to leave tomorrow.”
“I guess he’s just ready to leave,” I shrug one shoulder, leaning back against the headboard and folding my hands behind my head as I recline. “He’s a busy man, I’m sure.”
Andries glares at me and the picture of nonchalance I’m trying to give off. “Something tells me that you and my sister have more to do with his departure than you’re letting on. She lied to my face about it, so why don’t you tell me the truth?”
I almost laugh out loud at the thought of telling Andries what Johanreallysaw at the beach to make him leave. The two of us would undoubtedly come to blows if I did that. “Andries, if you’ve spoken to your sister, me, and even Johan himself and we’ve all given you the same answer, then why do you still assume that we are lying?”
“Because just yesterday Johan was having a great time with us. Remember all the help he gave you while sailing?” He crosses his arms. “After all of that, I’d think that you two would have warmed up to each other more, but here you are not even caring if he leaves.”
“Man, I’ve known him for like two days. I don’t care what Johan does, but obviously, he has things to do and you’re being weirdly over the top about him leaving.” I shouldn’t say the next thing that comes to my mind, but my best friend is annoying me to no end, and I want this conversation to be over. “Do you think maybe he’s leaving because you got so ridiculously drunk last night that he doesn’t want to deal with it again?”
“Ha,” Andries scoffs. “Fuck you, Dan. It’s too bad that, even though I drank until I blacked out, I still couldn’t forget the way you betrayed me.”
“Back to this, are we?” I take a hand from behind my head and drag it down my face in frustration. “Andries, I’m not going to hurt Elise. I’m even giving her all the space she needs right now to figure out what exactly it is thatshewants from me, and not the other way around.” I swallow, feeling unwanted emotion welling up in me. “Truthfully, if she wasn’t hesitant, there isn’t anything in the world that I wouldn’t do for her, but ultimately it’s her choice to make.”
Andries pauses, the anger bleeding out of his expression. “If you were any other suitor pursuing my sister, I would appreciate that sentiment more, but it still doesn’t erase the betrayal between you and me.”
“I don’t expect it to,” I admit. “I just want you to know that I will never do anything to cause her any kind of pain. You can still be pissed off at me, but I’d like you to know that I respect your sister just as much as I care about her.”
Running a hand through his hair, Andries exhales deeply, the stiffness in his frame easing as whatever rage he was feeling when he first came into my room now moves beyond his grasp. “Whatever, man. I’m not over this and I don’t think I will be any time soon, if ever. But… you should know we’re having a farewell dinner for Johan a little after eight p.m. if you want to join us. Consider this your heads up to get ready.”
With that last statement, my best friend disappears out of my suite, shutting the door behind him. I have a little less than an hour before the dinner that I guess I’m expected to appear at, and while there is plenty I could do to pass the time, the allure of returning to my nap is pretty strong. Not that I’m very tired anymore, but dealing with everyone here and the drama that is attached to them doesn’t seem appealing, especially when I know I’ll be getting my fair share of it during the farewell party itself.
With a resigned sigh, knowing that I have to attend a party for someone I really don’t want to see again, I roll over, pulling the thin blanket over myself to try to catch a little more sleep before I have to make my reappearance into the real world.
Adjusting the collar on my short sleeve linen button up, I walk out into the cooler evening air, surprised at how well-decorated the terrace is considering the short notice. Everyone is dressed impeccably, and there is even a DJ who has the music down low enough that we can all hear each other talking.
I look around for Elise, but even though everyone else is present, she’s nowhere to be found. Considering she’s the only person I care to see at this party, it’s a bit of a disappointment… that is, until I see Johan.
For someone as tall and buff as he is, Johan looks more like a kicked puppy than a man, standing across the terrace with a frown on his face and his shoulders slumped in defeat. He’s talking to Lili and Robin, but even from as far away as I am, I can tell his heart really isn’t in the conversation.
Even though his sad countenance makes me smirk, I wish he’d have just left tonight. It’d have made everything so much easier.
With the sun just beginning to set, everything is cast in red and gold light, I can’t deny that the event is stunning. Roxanne is leaning against the wall next to the entrance in an emerald green dress, and I wonder how Andries hasn't realized that something is wrong with his fiancée yet. There is stress written all over her face.
I make my way over to her, copying her pose and leaning on the wall while we both observe the party going on around us. Roxie clutches a glass of sparkling wine with what looks like a splash of cranberry juice in it, but she hasn’t taken a single sip. Her only acknowledgment of me is a quick glance before she’s back to staring outwards.
“Your fiancé seems heartbroken that his new best friend is leaving,” I comment, nodding to where Andries—looking almost as sad as Johan—is talking to the other man. Roxanne laughs once, but her heart isn’t in it.
“If I didn’t know better, Dan, I’d say you sound jealous.”
“Bitter is more accurate. I didn’t exactly book this trip so he could look for someone to replace me with, but here we are.” I try to keep my tone light, but there is undeniably some animosity in my voice.
“He’ll remember this trip forever, Dan, and once we’re back home and he’s gotten over this thing with you and his sister, I’m sure he’ll think much more fondly of everything and be grateful for his friendship with you.” She turns her face to me, and her expression is completely serious. “Promise me you’ll give him another chance, okay? He has so few friends…”
“Don’t worry. I’ve weathered my fair share of Andries’s dramatic moments. This one may be a little more intense than others, but it’s nothing new for me.” A thought occurs to me that leaves me feeling cold, and all the humor drains out of me. “Roxanne, you aren’t saying that because you think the two of you won’t be together, do you?”
She turns her body away from me slightly, indicating that our conversation is done. “Go get a drink or something, Dan.”
“Roxie––”
“I said go.”
I clamp my mouth shut at her icy tone, but I do as she demands, leaving her behind to join the main crush of party guests. Andries has moved on from Johan for the moment, so this might be my only chance to greet him without an ambush, but at least this should be the last time I have to speak to the other man that thinks he has some pull over the woman I love.
