Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
I finished gutting the salmon and threw it into the bin. I wiped my hands on my apron just as Fiora approached with a frown on her face.
“Why the hell are you here?”
“I have bills to pay,” I answered, trying not to make eye contact with my best friend. I didn’t want her to see just how upset and torn I was.
“That’s what The Hunt this weekend is for.”
Shaking my head, I said, “I’m not doing The Hunt anymore. I’m over it.”
Fiora crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at me. “It’s Locke, isn’t it?”
I bristled at the accusation. “That’s not true. Me not doing The Hunt has nothing to do with him. I quenched my curiosity and now I’m done. Time to get back to the real world.”
“Of gutting fish?” she asked.
“Yeah. Reality.”
“You don’t have to pretend with me,” Fiora said, coming closer to me. “I know something’s going on between you two. And I know it’s not just friendship.”
I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. “He’s just my father’s best friend.”
Fiora rolled her eyes. “Please. I know you better than you know yourself. You’re in love with the guy.”
“I am not!” I protested, knowing it was a lie.
“I’m not judging you,” Fiora said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I just want you to be honest with yourself. Do you really want to be here with the stinky fish all your life, denying your true feelings? Or do you want to finally be brave enough to admit them? There’s no shame in admitting you love him, you know?”
I felt my cheeks flush red hot, and I couldn’t meet Fiora’s gaze. Everything she said was true, but it was so much easier to deny it than to confront it. I had been lying to myself for so long, thinking that my feelings for Locke were purely physical. But the truth was I was deeply in love with him. And it was a love that was doomed from the start.
“I can’t love him,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “He was my father’s friend. He’s older, more sophisticated, and more… And he’s the one who hunted me. I just found out. He’s been watching me without me knowing, and he was the man behind the mask.”
Fiora’s eyes widened, and she inhaled deeply. “Okay… Wow. So it was him the entire time?”
I nodded.
“Hmm… that complicates things.”
I scoffed. “You think?”
“But you guys are complicated. Always have been. It is what it is. But he’s also the one who’s been protecting you,” Fiora pointed out gently. “Loving you from afar.”
“I know,” I said, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. “But how can I trust someone who’s been lying to me all this time?”
“Has he been? Lying? Did you ever ask him and he denied it?”
“Well, no. But—” I shrugged, unsure of the answer. “Maybe not lying, per se. But he’s been keeping secrets from me. And I don’t know what else he’s hiding.”
Fiora nodded in understanding. “That’s fair. But we all have secrets. And you should talk to him. Hear him out. Maybe there’s a reason why he didn’t tell you everything right away.”
She was right… we all had secrets. I was no different in that regard.
“I don’t know,” I said, wiping away my tears. “It’s just all so confusing. And I don’t know if I can handle it.”
“You can, and you will,” Fiora said, giving me a reassuring pat on the back. “You just have to decide what you want. And whether or not you’re willing to take a risk. You don’t want to be sitting here gutting fish, wondering what could have been.”
Taking a deep breath, I looked back at Fiora. “You’re right. I need to talk to Locke. But I don’t even know how to bring it up. The last time I saw him I was so angry. I said mean things. He may not want to ever see or speak to me again.”
Fiora grinned and glanced over my shoulder. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”
I didn’t need to turn around to know it was Locke’s footsteps I heard behind me.
Fiora pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly. “I’ll call you later. But stop hiding. Stop fighting. And put down the bloody fish when you talk to him.” She pulled away, winked at me, and left.
I dropped the fish in the bin, not realizing I had been holding the slimy creature in my hand the entire time. Wiping my hands on my apron again, I slowly turned around to face the man who had been haunting my dreams and consuming my thoughts. Locke stood there, tall and imposing, his dark hair tousled by the wind. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Locke,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.