Chapter Sixteen

In the warm glow of morning, the town is actually quite pleasant.

Hugging my light jacket to me, I step softly out the door.

Summers spent in Massachusetts with family as a child made me love and almost crave the atmosphere when I was back in California.

Since moving to the East Coast three years ago, I had only been to the New England area once before now, and despite my emotional frailty, I feel strangely at peace.

Just breath. Always remember to breath.

The grass outside the hotel is glazed with dew, and the air is moist and sweet.

I’m almost hesitant to look at the small, homey parking lot reserved for hotel guests, but when I do, I do see my car sitting there as though nothing has happened.

So Nick didn’t drive away, as previously suspected.

That means he’s either on foot or he’s taken public transportation of some sort.

Nick’s ego has always been too large to even consider public transportation, so the former is my best bet.

Should I look for him? Is it very wise for him to be walking around some town he doesn’t know? What if something happens to him? I doubt he has any identification on him... but everyone already knows who he is, right?

I shake my head.

This is not the time to think about Nick lying in some gutter somewhere. He’s probably in some bar or tattoo parlor getting another fricken tattoo.

Stuffing my hands into the pockets of my jacket, I walk quickly down the quiet streets.