All Chapters of Unexpected Arrivals: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

When relationships shift, the person being left behind starts to notice the nuances of how things have changed. And the subtle differences ate away at me with regard to Cora. I'd always been her number one, we'd done everything together, made every decision as a couple—or so I'd thought. When I looked back on the two major ones, she'd followed me both times. It hadn't been about what was best for her; I hadn't considered what she'd needed—just how it would have impacted me not to have her around. Cora now had a life I wasn't involved in. Between work and school, she'd become just as busy as I was, and coupled with my schedule, we almost never saw each other. When we did find a few moments alone, all I heard about was how wonderful Drake Halifax was and all the plans he had for her career—none of which were in New York. "He's considering me for a new office, James." She squealed with delight. "Drake?" The way she rolled her eyes reminded me of a child who thought I'

I quickly realized that in the two years we'd lived in New York, I hadn't managed to make a single friend I could hang out with. The four of us had been perfectly content to hang out together like we always had. The girls had met people at school, but they only saw them between classes. Neil and I hadn't ventured outside of the office, and the only other people we worked with were women. That would have been a recipe for disaster, and it was one I'd never considered out of respect for Cora. However, now that I had time on my hands and my best friend was still in a committed relationship, being the third wheel wasn't all that appealing—not to mention, Hannah was like a damn parrot who repeated everything she heard. I hadn't dated anyone other than Cora since I was a teenager. I didn't have a clue how to meet people in a city this size, and I didn't have a wingman to work the social scene. Regardless of the fact I'd never lacked for confidence, this town was daunting when flying sol

I didn't get another message from Cora for several days, and I had refused to let myself reach out to her. In the meantime, I buried myself in work, and then Letty. I'd never met a woman like this—perfectly comfortable in who she was and no expectations other than a good time. I gladly provided her with what she asked for, and I loved being with a woman who just wanted to hang out, dance, drink, and fuck—without jealousy or the promise of another day. Hannah, on the other hand, didn't like much of anything I did these days—sadly for her, she didn't get a vote. I knew she still talked to Cora, mainly because she didn't try to hide it—not that I expected her to. Hannah failed to recognize that Cora left me; I didn't leave Cora—so I wasn't sure why Hannah expected me to sit at home and pine away for a girl who'd moved to the City of Love without her soulmate. Yet Hannah's growing disapproval of my life created a chasm between my best friend and me. I would never ask him to choose be

"So you're really going back to Geneva?" Neil was dumbfounded I hadn't found a way to get out of my dad's birthday week. "I don't have a choice. It's just a few days. Plus, he wants to talk business. I have no idea what that means, but if there's even a remote chance that benefits us, then it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make." He scoffed. "Right. Like your dad is going to serve you help on a silver platter." "Yeah, that was about how it grabbed me. If I have to go, I can hope something positive will come out of it, right?" "Sure. Just don't get disappointed, and keep your guard up. He's cutthroat and won't hesitate to slit your wrists." "Jesus, Neil. Glad to hear you think so highly of my old man." I chuckled at the visual. "He and my dad are cut from the same cloth. I don't have a use for either one." Neil had never recovered from the shit his parents had pulled our senior year in high school. Their relationship was never the same—in fact, it basica

I hadn't been in this town long enough to be familiar with it. Even though the island was small, there were times details escaped me. It was easier to have Dottie drop me off than to risk getting lost. When I stepped inside, the flurry of activity startled me. Before I could get caught up in the anxiety that lingered in unfamiliar places, Jared—the guy who hired me yesterday—stepped out of his office. "Hey, Chelsea. You're right on time. Everyone is loading up so go grab a seat in the van." I'd bartended back home while I was in college, and it was an easy gig to fall back on. The tips were good without an abundance of hours, and while this job wasn't in a club, the owner of the catering company assured me their high-end clientele tipped well and made the obscure hours worth the effort. Yet money wasn't really a driving force. It gave me something to do and people to interact with, and there weren't many career choices available in Geneva Key. I didn't speak to anyone du