Forgetting You

Chapter 6

Remington navigates the boat to a secluded spot, about 30 minutes away from the marina. As we reach our destination, Henry and Remi graciously allow Anna Claire and me to dive first. With no prior experience in diving, I can only manage to stay submerged for no more than forty seconds before resurfacing to fill my lungs with much-needed air.

The diving quickly takes its toll, leaving me breathless and drained. Henry recognizing my limitations, switches roles, allowing the boys to take their turn while Anna Claire and I relax on the boat.

Under the warm sun, the rhythmic sound of the ocean lapping against the boat, and a cold beer in hand, we recline on the bow of the boat, sinking into the plush couch cushions.

"Are you from Florida, Anna Claire?" I ask, shifting my gaze to meet hers.

Her lips curve into a warm smile. "No, I'm not actually. Both Remi and I are from Alabama," she responds, turning her body to face me fully.

"Really?"

"Born and raised. I grew up on the border of Alabama and Georgia, in a small little town. My momma always said I was destined to live by the ocean though. When Remi and I came to visit, we just decided to never go back, and we've been here ever since," she explains, a smile gracing her face as she takes a sip of her beer.

"It wasn't too long after that we met Henry and became friends," she continues, and I rest my head back on the cushion of the chair, absorbing her words. "He'd come down a couple times a year from Tennessee, and bring Savannah with him most of the time, up until about a year ago."

I take a sip of my beer, allowing Anna Claire's words to sink in. Thoughts swirl in my mind, and a haze of confusion takes over.

Savannah? Who the fuck is Savannah?

"Who's Savannah?" I finally ask, raising my head to look at Anna Claire.

Her head whips towards me, her smile fading as she locks eyes with me. I can sense her uncertainty as if she's trying to gauge whether I'm joking or genuinely unaware. Her eyes search my face for any signs of deception.

"Henry. He... he never told you about Savannah?" she says hesitantly, her voice trailing off.

"No," I respond, irritation evident in my voice as I shake my head, now fully sitting up to face her.

"Oh, um..." She takes another sip of her beer. She seems unsure whether she should proceed. "Well, y'all are broken up anyway, so I guess it won't matter if I tell you now, right?"

I pause, contemplating her words. "Right," I reply, my voice tinged with resignation.

She clears her throat, shifting in her seat to sit up a little straighter. "Savannah is his ex-girlfriend. Well, his other ex-girlfriend," she begins.

"They grew up together, went to school together, and then they dated all throughout high school and college," Her voice trails off momentarily. "Then, I don't know, about a year and a half ago, she broke up with him." She pauses, her gaze locked on me. "He really never told you about her?"

"No," I reply, my tone filled with a mix of surprise and hurt. I turn away, directing my gaze towards the ocean, but I can't escape the wave of jealousy that crashes over me.

Why didn't he tell me about her?

"Is that when he moved to New York? After they broke up?" I ask, piecing together the timeline in my mind.

She nods in affirmation. "What's worse is that she left him for some other guy. She started datin' again just two weeks later," she reveals. "He was pretty heartbroken about it for a while."

That little bitch.

"Last time his momma was here, she told me that Savannah didn't even last longer than half a year dating the guy she left Henry for," she reveals, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief and slight amusement. "She's been wanting him back, apparently."

Her words hit me and I try to hide the mixed emotions stirring inside me. I should feel indifferent. After all, I've made it very clear to Henry and everyone else that we're not together. But I can't help but feel a surge of anger and jealousy. Just the thought of Henry being with someone else makes me feel like it will shatter my heart into a million pieces.

"But then he met you, and things changed for a while," she continues, causing me to shift my gaze back to her., "He didn't even come down in the spring like he normally does. He told Rem that he didn't want to leave New York because y'all had just started datin'."

"Hmm," I murmur absentmindedly, my mind processing the weight of her words.

"But I guess none of it really matters all that much now since y'all aren't together anymore," she adds, her gaze fixed on me.

"Yeah," I manage to say, my voice strained as I struggle to swallow the lump in my throat.

Just then, with spears in hand, Remi and Henry emerge from the water, their joyful yells reverberating through the air as they exchange a high-five.

Anna Claire stands up on the bow of the boat, her excitement evident as she calls out to them, "Did y'all get one?"

"We got one!" Remi shouts, his voice filled with enthusiasm, proudly displaying the fish speared on his weapon for us to see.

They swim over to the back of the boat and deposit the fish into an old cooler. Joining us with beers in hand, they share the story about how they speared the fish. However, my attention is captivated by Henry as he peels off his wetsuit and I can't even resist the urge to stare at him. It would be completely impossible even if I tried. His toned six-pack, the V-line that traces down his abdomen, and his water-kissed body. I'm acutely aware of exactly what is under those shorts and I'm struggling to shake the image out of my mind.

Thank god I bought new sunglasses this morning.

Henry grabs a beer and takes the seat next to me, the chill of the ocean still lingering on his arm as it brushes against mine, causing goosebumps to break out on my skin.

"You got new sunglasses?" he asks, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he looks at me.

I raise an eyebrow, playing along. "Oh, these old things?" I say, waving my hand nonchalantly, but I can't help the smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

He chuckles, his gaze lingering on the sunglasses. "They're much darker than the ones you had at the beach the other day. Trying to hide something, are we?" he teases.

I tilt my head, feigning innocence. "Well, there's no need for you to know what I'm looking at, Calhoun. That's only for me to know," I reply.

He leans in slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "I don't need to see your eyes to know you're looking right at me, sweetheart," he says, his voice with a hint of seductive confidence, causing my heart to flutter.