Page 14 of Velvet Varnish

She could’ve left the note on the pillow, or in the kitchen, but she left it on top of the book. Resting on top of my note. Pain rushes through me at the idea of her seeing the note and needing to leave because of it. Because of me.

Lachlan opens the book and flicks past a few pages before he finds the note. I don’t have the energy to stop him. If Isla doesn’t want me, my friends may as well know what happened.

“Is this the book you dragged me to an obscure bookshop in the city for? But that was…” Disbelief tinges his voice.

I nod. Lachlan hands the book to Chloe, who gapes at me after she reads what I wrote when I bought the book.

“Do you mean it?” she asks softly.

I nod again and squeeze my eyes closed. My skin feels raw. Their gazes heavy.

All I want to do is sleep and ignore today. Clinking on the bench forces my eyes open. Chloe taps her nails—decorated in leaves I know Isla did for her—on the granite. Nail polish shouldn’t send tightness through my chest, but it does.

Chloe blows out a breath. “You need to show her the book.”

“She’s seen it already. I won’t force something on her.”

“I know Isla didn’t read the note.”

“How can you possibly know that?”

“Do you think she needs to practice painting someone’s nails? She has clients for that and trainings she runs. She does it for you. So she can see you. I only found out about your book exchange yesterday.” She nudges the book closer to me. “I think she freaked out when you refused her, overthought it, and now thinks she offended you. You need to talk to her.”

I tug at my hair. “None of this makes sense.”

“Talk to her. She walks on the beach every morning.” Chloe stands and heads for the door, Lachlan trailing after her. “Show her the book, Dominic.” She closes the door and leaves silence behind her.

Thoughts swirl around me. Is she right? I had wondered why Isla still wanted to practice on someone, but I never questioned it because I got to see her.

My hands shake as I grab my keys and the book and head for the door.

Two people have told me to be honest with her and explain everything. I have to take the chance. I need to believe them and tell Isla, otherwise I might never see her again. Never get to give her all the books with notes.

Never tell her I love her.

6

ISLA

The sand squishesbetween my toes and water crashes over my feet, washing it away and dragging more over me. A shiver runs through me as the wind tugs my hair. I kick my feet through the water, flinching when cool shards hit my cheek.

I shouldn’t have written the note. Should have stayed and spoken to him, but I’m flayed open, my emotions too close to the surface to have my heart broken.

I know what he’ll say, and I’m not ready to hear it. Not yet.

My feet drag through the churning water. Punishing myself in the cold, sticky sand, needing to feel the burn in my muscles. It doesn’t distract me much, but I have to concentrate so I don’t fall over, which is enough.

When I woke up this morning, Dom was gone. I was ready to talk to him, to apologise for kissing him against his wishes, but when he wasn’t there, I couldn’t stop myself from running.

From taking the easy way out.

Instead, I went home and showered the night off me, changed into leggings, and cleaned my cut.

I put the shirt he gave me back on. Couldn’t bring myself to part with it. Not yet.

I’ve known him for so long. Wanted him for so long, and he doesn’t want me. My eyes blink rapidly, attempting to clear the blurriness. I won’t force myself on him, won’t make him see me when he doesn’t want to. Shouldn’t have kept the nail appointments going so long when I didn’t need them. I thought we’d get to know each other, hoped he might see me as more than a friend he occasionally sees, but I was wrong.

I sniff. When I finally kissed him, he pushed me off him, stopped me from removing my clothes, and said I wasn’t in my right mind. Whatever that means. I refuse to consider why he stopped me from removing my clothes. It’s one thing assuming he isn’t attracted to me, it’s another remembering his face when he went cold and stopped my hands from touching him.