Chapter 48

By the time she stepped out into the night air, her decision was made. She couldn’t stay there. Not with Rowan in her space. Not with her friends watching. Not with her heart cracked wide open.

She called a car and rode in silence, head resting against the window as the city lights blurred past. When the driver asked if she was okay, she only murmured, “Just drive.”

The hotel lobby was quiet, the marble floor gleaming under soft light. Celeste checked in quickly, barely meeting the clerk’s eyes. She wanted anonymity, a place to breathe, to drown in clean sheets instead of emotions.

In the room, she peeled off her clothes, tugged on the hotel robe, and collapsed onto the bed. The hum of the air conditioning was the only sound as exhaustion swallowed her whole.

When she woke the next morning, her phone buzzed nonstop on the nightstand. The screen lit up with missed calls and messages Rowan’s name at the top, followed by Simone, Lila, and Naomi in quick succession.

17 missed calls. 38 unread messages.

She blinked against the light and scrolled through them.

Rowan: Celeste, please pick up.
Rowan: I didn’t know what to say. I froze. Please don’t think I don’t care.
Rowan: Tell me where you are. I’ll come to you.
Rowan: Baby, I’m sorry. Just talk to me.

Simone: Girl, you better not be doing that disappearing act again.
Simone: At least drop a pin. We’re worried.
Simone: If you don’t text back, I’m showing up at your condo with security.

Lila: Celeste, answer your phone. Please.
Lila: I know last night was a lot, but don’t shut us out.
Lila: I shouldn’t have dumped my feelings on you. I’m sorry. Just… come home.

Naomi: Take the time you need, but let us know you’re safe. That’s all that matters right now.
Naomi: I’ll cover for you if anyone asks. Just please don’t vanish.

Celeste’s throat tightened as more notifications rolled in.

Rowan: I can’t stop thinking about the look on your face when you said it.
Rowan: Do you really love me? Please… let me hear it again.

Celeste stared at the screen until her vision blurred, thumb hovering over Rowan’s name. Every part of her wanted to answer Rowan first, but the ache in her chest made her hesitate. She wasn’t ready not yet.

Her fingers moved before she could talk herself out of it.

Celeste: Naomi, can you come to me? Bring me some clothes, please. I’ll send you my location.

A second later, she dropped the pin.

The typing bubbles popped up almost instantly.

Naomi: On my way. Don’t move.
Naomi: Do you need anything else? Food? Coffee? Just say the word.

Celeste let out a shaky breath, her fingers tightening around the phone. She typed back quickly, needing to be honest about what she needed.

Celeste: Yes. Food and coffee. And you. Please.

The reply came almost instantly.

Naomi: Got it. Be there soon. Hang in there.

Celeste set the phone aside and curled up against the hotel pillows, pulling the robe tighter around her. For the first time since leaving her condo, she let herself breathe. Someone was coming. Someone she trusted.

Still, her mind drifted back to Rowan her shocked face, the silence that followed, the unanswered question hanging between them like a storm cloud.

Celeste closed her eyes and whispered into the quiet room, “What did I do?”

The hot spray of the shower beat down on Celeste’s shoulders, washing away the salt from her tears and the fog of last night’s drinks. She braced her hands against the cool tile, letting the water rush over her hair, her face, her trembling body. For a few minutes, she tried to let the sound drown everything else out—Rowan’s silence, the pounding of her own heartbeat, the endless replay of the words she had blurted out.

When the water finally turned lukewarm, she shut it off, wrapping herself in the thick hotel robe. She tied the sash tight, tucked her damp hair behind her ears, and padded barefoot back into the suite.

A knock at the door startled her.

Celeste froze, heart thudding. Then she crossed the room, pulling the door open.

Naomi stood there, holding a bag of clothes over one arm and a tray with a to-go coffee cup and two paper bags balanced in the other. Her steady eyes scanned Celeste in her robe, damp hair clinging to her cheeks, and she didn’t say anything at first—just stepped forward.

“Let me in,” Naomi said gently.

Celeste stepped aside without a word. Naomi entered, setting the food and coffee on the table before turning back to her. She searched her friend’s face quietly, her calm gaze more grounding than anything Celeste could’ve imagined.

“Hey,” Naomi said softly, her tone careful, like she knew Celeste was one wrong word away from breaking again. “You don’t have to explain yet. Just… sit. Eat. Breathe.”

Celeste swallowed, her throat dry, but nodded. She shut the door and leaned against it for a moment before finally moving toward the table where Naomi had already started unpacking the food.

For the first time since last night, Celeste felt the tiniest flicker of relief. Naomi was here.