by Iona Rose
All of this was more than I’d expected from this little getaway trip.
I was shown to our reserved seat on the balcony to see it was empty.
“Something to drink while you wait for your other party miss?” The waiter asked.
I ordered all I was sure I could stomach at that moment. “A glass of water, please.”
With a smile, he walked away.
I took my seat.
Our table was positioned at the edge of the restaurant, the only thing separating us from the sea, the pile of heavy rocks along the coast. It had an exquisite view of the town’s hilly terrain, the ancient castle and boats sailing into the distance.
However, none of that breathtaking scenery could currently hold my attention.
The arranged meeting time had been 7 pm. It was now 7:15 pm, and he was nowhere to be found. Being a little late would be okay but he hadn’t called or texted to update me on it.
I put my phone away, quite disappointed, but fought hard to maintain my enthusiasm for the night. So I settled in, watching the other patrons as they chatted and basked in the ambience of their own candle lit dinners.
I couldn't wait for mine to get started.
Twenty minutes passed by, and my stomach began to tighten with fury. He still hadn’t arrived, and no text from him.
This time around, a waitress came by and I could almost see the pitying look on her face as she asked, “Ma’am would you like something else to drink while you wait?”
I felt like I’d been slapped in the face, but I knew she was just doing her job. “A glass of your Late Harvest will do,” I said, determined to give Carter the chance to still show up late.
She walked away, and soon returned with the sweet white wine in a tall glass.
I took a very long sip, as I took note of how my throat constricted with the realization that he had somehow managed to make me completely let my guard down. Once again, I was reminded of the fickleness of the male species.
He truly was a specimen, but not the kind I’d come to believe.
My gaze was lost on the sea and its infinite darkness beyond, but the moment I felt the tears sting my nose. I picked up my phone and finally sent him a text. ‘Where are you?’ I gave him ten more minutes to respond to me.
At the eight minute mark, I asked for my check.
When the ten minutes had elapsed, I pushed my chair out, the iron legs scraping angrily across the wooden floor.
I rose to my feet and exited the restaurant as gracefully as I could manage.
Chapter 7
Carter
I’d lost track of time.
A call from my CFO at the head office had come in just before I’d been about to leave, and the time had flown by.
I’d rushed to the car then, but still remained too anxious to even step away from the call. After I got into the vehicle… it’d finally ended abruptly when my phone battery got drained. I was left staring at a blank screen. I looked around me and realized we were moving at a snail’s pace through the east part of the town.
“It’s rush hour sir,” Makhmad said. “The road will clear in about thirty minutes.”
I leaned into the back seat with a heavy sigh, my nerves shot. I didn't have thirty minutes, especially since there was no way to reach Leah, so she would know I was still on my way.
Plus, the crumbling acquisition back at the office of Media Hive… that fire needed to be put out, otherwise eight months of hard work would be flushed down the drain at the crucial moment of completion.
“Fuck,” I cursed underneath my breath, turning to watch through the window at the cars that crawled past us.
Eventually, the delay eased up and Makhmad increased his speed.
I spotted her the moment I arrived at the restaurant.
She looked angelic… her hair billowing around her face at the mild evening breeze. She however, looked incredibly annoyed, her arms folded across her chest as she no doubt awaited transportation.
Makhmad parked the car at the entrance but just as I got out, a cab pulled up in front of her.
Her hand reached out to grab the door’s handle, and her name rang from my lips. “Leah!” I called out, but the entrance was bursting with too much activity. People and cars alike were coming in and leaving, so getting her attention at such a distance was impossible.
So I ran.
“Leah!” I got to the taxi just before it pulled away, and pounded on the bright yellow sedan.
It screeched to a halt just as I came to her window, and it took me a few seconds to calm my breathing.
“Carter?” She called out, surprise in her gaze.
“I’m sorry. I had to handle an unexpected call and then my battery died… I couldn’t get to you.”
She watched me through the window for a moment, and I could see the hurt in her eyes. She was not in any way taking this lightly. My tone softened. “Leah, please put the window down?”
I saw the resolve hardened her gaze, and knew she had made her decision. Panic struck me… I didn’t want to know what she’d decided. “Leah—?”
“I’m going to leave Carter,” she said through the open window. “I think we’ve both gotten what we wanted from each other. There’s no need dragging any of this any further and wasting both of our time.”
“Leah!” I called out.
She rolled the window up, and the taxi pulled away from the curb.
For the longest time, I just stood there, watching the car as it drove off into the evening, blending in with the many cars on the main street.
I shook my head and returned to my car.
Perhaps she was right, but I hadn’t approached her just to get a good fuck for a night. I’d felt a spark between us, and meeting her had set it ablaze.
Maybe it had been just a fluke and it was inconsequential. Perhaps she’d felt nothing… at least not like I had.
The moment I returned to my hotel, I charged my phone and continued with my call.
Mark picked up immediately, “What happened?” he asked. “He said you cut the call on him?”
“My battery ran out of juice and I didn’t have a charger with me.”
He sighed.
“So what’s the conclusion?” I asked.
“He’s pissed at everything and doesn’t seem to remember that we weren’t the reason why his agency is going under. He’s asking for an increased offer.”
“How much more?”
“Three hundred.”
“Dollars?” I asked.
The older man on the other end of the line burst into laughter.
It had been a very tense and stressful period for the both of us, so the brief amusement was very welcome.
“Screw him,” I said.
“They do have the Nestle account, and David Fogarty. Are we going to let those both go?”
I thought back to the beautiful girl that had refused to give me a chance, as she most probably had disappeared from my life forever. “Yeah,” I replied. “Maybe it’s not meant to be. If it is, he’ll come back begging, preferably on his knees.”
I ended the call and tried to soothe my annoyance away, at all the losses that life seemed to conclude I deserved on this day. I was consoled, however, because I knew I’d given it all my very best. Did Leah feel the same kind of peace? Or perhaps she didn’t even care enough to be troubled?
Out of sight. Out of mind.
Chapter 8
Leah
When I opened my eyes the next morning, I felt a sort of shock.
As though there had been a rift in my world, and my soul couldn’t accept it yet. Not an unfamiliar feeling, as had always been the case when I made decisions that had a major influence on my life’s path.
Last night, I would have been too proud to admit it, but in the light of a new day, the fact I had hoped and even begun to build Carter up as someone who would be a major influence in my life, was inescapable. This was the true source of this rift.
After the way he’d me
lted me with that kiss at the market, the dream, that perhaps we could come to mean something to each other had taken root. Then I had mercilessly dug it out, too scorned by previous experiences to tolerate any discrepancies.
Had I been too hasty? Had I not given him enough of a chance? I shook my head to dispel these concerns and got out of bed.
The girls were still asleep, so I went ahead and took a shower. When I was dressed I called out to Tracy to head down with me for breakfast.
Anne never ate early, so I left her to her slumber that had her splayed out like a starfish across the bed.
“Tracy it’s almost eleven,” I lied. “They’ll pack up soon.”
She dragged herself out of bed then, slipped on shorts, slid into flip flops, and we were on our way.
I was thankful when she didn't say anything to me, but her discreet gaze seemed to be constantly on. It did become irritating. “Stop it.” I said just as the elevator dinged our arrival on the ground floor.
“You didn't tell me what happened last night,” she said softly. “I didn't expect you to return, and so early for that matter. You just went right to sleep.”
I didn’t respond. We walked into the breakfast room and began to go through the servings of bacon, eggs, fruit and pastry. It reminded me of the one I’d had with him just the previous morning and for a moment I almost choked up. Anne had been right. I could get too emotionally detached, especially with the loving way he’d acted.
If I were ever to be with someone casually again, the rule would be set in place that no interactions or considerations whatsoever beyond the bedroom would be acceptable.
When we were finally settled and eating, I told her what happened. “He stood me up.” I needed someone else to confirm that I had done the right thing, just so I could freaking move on, but after I was done explaining, she instead barraged me with silence, until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Say something.”
“Okay. He didn’t stand you up Leah. He was late, and he tried to explain why.”
I couldn’t believe her. “So I was wrong?”
Tracy put her fork down and stared at me. “That doesn’t matter. My question is why you cared so much that he was late? Isn’t this just supposed to be a fling? Without strings? If there wasn’t an emotional attachment, you wouldn’t have felt so hurt and disrespected.” She picked up her mug of coffee and took a sip.
I repeated my question, “So I was wrong?”
“What is wrong?” she asked. “And what would have been right? Maybe you dodged a bullet or—?”
“Or maybe I missed out on something that could have been great.”
“That… right there,” she said, “is the problem. You were already beginning to hope that it would be something more and at the first telltale signs that he perhaps didn’t have the same expectation or dedication, you cut him off. Perhaps it was for the best. Did he ever explicitly express that he wanted more?”
“Not exactly.”
“So, maybe this was for the best. Hasty or not you nipped this in the bud when it started to become dangerous. Even if you both were to meet again, now you realize why you acted the way you did. Decide from the beginning if you’re going to try to pursue something more with him, and stick to it. But if it is to be as you claim… casual, then act appropriately.”
I nodded, as this did seem to sum it all up, we finished our meal and headed back to the room.
Anne was already up and had a cup of coffee, as she too gave me a look of concern. Thankfully, she didn’t say a word.
“We have two options for today,” Tracy announced. “Standup paddling near the Alanya Castle and Red Tower, or a day trip to Sapadere Canyon.”
Anne scowled at her. “I’m the travel agent that booked this trip. Why are you more aware of things to do here than I am?”
“Tracy, how far away is this canyon?” I would never admit it aloud to the girls but I wanted to get away… from my getaway. How truly ironic life could be.
“About forty-five minutes away from the town but it will be a whole day’s tour. We will have lunch in the village, hike a bit to see the waterfalls, perhaps even take a swim, and visit the Smurfs Cave. Full day.”
Indeed and it sounded like just what I needed. “I’m in.”
We both turned to Anne.
She rolled her eyes at us. “The purpose of a vacation is to do nothing. It amazes me how you both simply cannot grasp this concept.”
Tracy corrected her, “The purpose of a vacation is to explore, and do nothing. Not just will away the time sleeping. I’m going to call the tour center now, to see if they still have some spots for us. They should be starting at about 10:30. So that gives us thirty minutes to get ready. Which do you guys fancy? Jeep Safari or a calmer van tour?”
“It’s pretty hot outside today, perhaps a jeep might be good,” I replied.
Anne however, immediately protested, “Oh no, I’m not getting squished in a jeep with strangers.”
“There’s water fights between other jeeps as we ride along,” Tracy added with a shrug.
I laughed at the horrified look on Anne’s face.
She got out of bed then.
Attempting to stay cheerful, I headed over to my part of the closet to get ready.
After the small tour, we set off to the Sapadere Village and settled down on picnic benches and tables for a well deserved lunch of chicken, rice and salad.
Thereafter, there were short stops at a mosque, a silk factory and watermill, and when the time arrived to visit the Smurfs Cave I didn’t have the energy to even care about seeing its stalagmites and stalactites formations.
Afterward, I sat down with the others who were hungry as we waited for the Jeep and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
I saw a missed call from my mother, Layla, and a text asking how the trip was going, but nothing else… especially from him.
I hadn’t even realized that I still nursed the hope that Carter would reach out, and the fact that he hadn’t hurt more than I wanted to accept.
Anne came over to sit next to me and the only smile I could work up for her was tight. “Fuck him,” she said.
The seconds ticked by and when she didn’t say anymore, I realized then that those two words were just what I needed. My smile slowly progressed into a low rumbling laughter and I felt the creases in my soul begin to smoothen out. I crushed her into a hug, just as Tracy and the rest of the group returned.
In no time, we were on our way back to Alanya.
Chapter 9
Carter
I could have sworn that I felt her presence before I saw her.
The restaurant was in the midst of a valley, surrounded by cliffs. And instead of tables, the parties of guests were seated in Turkish-style sitting pergolas located above the water. My party of business associates from Desa were almost halfway through our dinner, and were amongst the few pergolas that were somewhat distanced from the other rows that housed other guests.
My skin suddenly began to prickle with awareness. Now, what had just moments earlier been a relaxing outing, the stream of the river right below us and the gush of a small waterfall down the rocks of the mountain providing the most serene ambience, turned into an ordeal.
She strolled in from the entrance with her friends, moving along the narrow wooden walkway, suspended above the water. Her stride seemed to be graceful and unhurried. One of them laughed out in amusement‒the blonde one, and held onto Leah’s arm. Her response was a wide but quiet smile, that instantly sent my heart racing.
They were seated in one of the berths at the base just like us, quite a distance away, but I could sense her as clearly as though she were by my side.
Her curly hair was piled on top of her head, her blouse made of a very light flowery material that hung off her shoulders, revealing her glistening porcelain skin. I’d once traced my lips across that skin and now I wished I could somehow… do it once again.
I loved the way her curls softened her face, clean and flushe
d with life, almost giving her the appearance of a teenager. She looked so soft and delicate… I could almost taste her in my mouth once again.
I turned my gaze away, returning to my meal as I tried my best to rediscover the bearings of the conversation, but my attention had been completely seized by this woman I hadn’t been able to get out of my mind over the last few days.
You’re leaving tomorrow, I reminded myself. Forget about her.
For a little while, I listened to the conversation at our table but as though I was possessed, my gaze would shift across the river to settle on her.
She lifted her cocktail to her lips and spoke with her friends, then quietly looked away to take in the ambience of the environment. The pink and orange hues of the setting sun in the distance and the mountains we were surrounded by.
I knew then that I would be speaking to her.
I wouldn’t be able to leave unless I did. I didn’t know what I would say, but it couldn’t be just a mere coincidence that she appeared here, out of all the places in town, and on my last night in the country.
I needed to look into her hazel eyes once more… to take in the seemingly endless depths and to feel the weight of her slender body against mine.
I needed to taste her lips, just one more time, even if it would be the last.
I drained my drink and bid my time.
* * *
Leah
“This place is breathtaking,” I said.
“It’s like a water park,” Anne nodded.
I smiled in agreement as I stared at a small water slide positioned in a corner and through it, those who weren’t eating, slid down into the river and swam to their heart’s content.
What fascinated me the most, however, was the several levels of pergolas arranged in rows, high on the side of the cliff.
“I told you guys it would be amazing,” Tracy gloated.
