Wardrobe Malfunction(91)

My gran is right. Screw what everyone else thinks. I want Charly.

And I’m going to get her.

I stand up. “Do you know where Charly is right now?”

A slow smile spreads across my gran’s face. “As a matter of fact, I do.”





Charly

After I went over to Vaughn’s parents’ house with his gran, we sat down in the living room. She gave me a piña colada. I downed the whole thing in one go, and then I started spilling my guts like a pig that had just been cut open for slaughter. I told her everything—the truth about my marriage to Nick.

But something tells me that I can trust Phoebe.

Or maybe it was just the two strong piña coladas telling me that.

Either way, it doesn’t matter.

I lost Vaughn, so nothing matters to me right now.

I know I should ring Nick and tell him what happened, but I just can’t bring myself to talk to anyone.

Every time I open my mouth to speak, I feel like I’m going to cry. So, I’m keeping it shut.

After I talked to Phoebe and cried my way through a box of tissues, I was embarrassed that I’d unloaded on her like that.

So, I thanked her for everything, and I looked up flights. Turned out, there wasn’t a flight to New York until tomorrow night.

It’s like the world is trying to punish me by keeping me here.

I asked Phoebe if she could recommend a hotel in Klamath Falls. She gave me the name of one, and then I called a cab.

The cab arrived fifteen minutes later. I hugged Phoebe and thanked her for everything. Then, I climbed into the cab, and it took me to the hotel.

I checked in for a single room. Took my case up to the room, sat down on the bed, and stared at the wall.

I knew I was going to cry again. After years of never crying, my eyes were sore, and I felt drained. I knew I wouldn’t cry in front of people, so I got up to go outside, and I started walking.

I wandered around for a bit and then headed back in the direction of the hotel, but the thought of being in that room alone made my footsteps start to slow.

So, I went into the diner a few doors down from the hotel.

It was empty, bar the waitress. But it would do.

I sat down in a booth by the window and ordered coffee and a piece of pie. That was about an hour ago.

I’ve just finished my second cup of coffee, and the pie sits, untouched.

Charlie Puth’s “Dangerously” is playing on the radio. I’m listening to the lyrics and staring out the window.

“Another refill, hon?”

I move my eyes to the waitress. She has a coffee pot in her hand.

“Sure.” I push my cup toward her, using my fingers.

She refills it.

“Thanks,” I say.

I get some creamer from the pot and pour it in before adding some sweetener.

I notice she’s still hovering, and dread passes through me that she recognizes me. My face has been plastered all over the Internet since the news of my “affair” with Vaughn broke.

“Hey, are you—”

“No.” I shake my head, cutting her off. I know I’m probably coming off as rude, but I just don’t care at the moment.

“Oh. Get asked that a lot, do you? ’Cause you sure do look like her. But then I did think, What would someone like her be doing in Klamath Falls?” She chuckles to herself.

“Who?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

The bell on the door behind me rings.

The waitress looks up at whoever just entered. She smiles. “Take a seat, hon. I’ll be right with you.” Then, she looks back at me. “Gigi Hadid. You know, the model who’s dating Zayn. You’re the spitting image of her.”

Gigi Hadid, huh? I wish.

I smile at her. “Thanks for the refill and the compliment.”

“Gigi Hadid,” a familiar voice says, making my whole body freeze. “Nah, you’re way prettier than her.”

Vaughn.

I’m almost afraid to turn in case it isn’t him. I think the disappointment would finish me off.

But I do turn. And it is him.

He’s here.

My heart starts to beat triple time.

He smiles, and my heart breaks.

“Hey, Pins.”

I can’t speak, so I just sit there, mute, while he takes the seat across from me.

“What can I get you?” the waitress asks him.

“Coffee.”

“Sure thing, hon. Anything to go with that coffee?”

He shakes his head but doesn’t take his stare from me. He hasn’t once looked away from me since I first locked eyes with him.

Well, he might be able to look at me for an extended period of time, but I can’t look at him. Staring at Vaughn right now is like staring at the sun. My eyes are starting to burn and sting and fill with tears.

I suck in a breath and stare out the window.

“I’ll be right back with your coffee,” the waitress tells him.