Greed

chapter 12

Prapai's POV

The boat stopped at the dive site. I tried talking to sky again, but he either didn’t hear me or was actively ignoring me as we prepared to go into the water.

Frustration grew at my skin. The waters surrounding Phuket contained incredible marine life, but I was so focused on Sky I barely paid attention to my underwater surroundings.

It was hard to believe he was the same man who’d lost all color when I’d suggested diving during our honeymoon in Jamaica. Now, he lingered by the corals, marveled at a passing sea turtle, and swam alongside a school of yellow fish. The only time he freaked out was when an eel brushed his shin, but overall, he handled himself with such grace I couldn’t help but smile.

I hated that we’d grown apart, but I loved how much more at ease he was with something that had once terrified him. I was so fucking proud.
The entire excursion lasted four hours, including transport to and from the dive center. By the time we made it back to land, the group was equal parts exhausted.

We lapsed into silence as we entered the dive center.
What do think you about dinner? I tried asking him out. I can get us a table at the new restaurant near Beach. Including Mr win. The restaurant was booked out during high season, but I could easily pull a few strings.

Sky stared at the floor. I haven’t decided yet. I might eat in tonight too.

Right. I rubbed a hand over my face. Well, if you change your mind, let me know. You have my number, or you can…I mean, I’m right next door.
The familiar heat of humiliation crept beneath my skin.
I hadn’t stumbled over my words so badly.

I know. Sky’s voice softened a smidge. It wasn’t much, but I’d take anything I could get.
I have to go. I’ll, um, see you around.
I watched him walk away, deflated. I hadn’t expected him to jump back into my arms simply because we were on the same excursion, but I’d expected…fuck, I didn’t know. More. More talking, more progress.
Then again, perhaps I didn’t deserve more.

Flashback

You have to eat. Sky came up behind me, his voice gentle. You can’t subsist on alcohol alone.

I’m not hungry. I stared out the window, where rain poured from the sky in a relentless river of grief. It was late afternoon. It’d rained nonstop since the morning, and it seemed fitting that william's funeral had taken place during the most miserable day of the year.

Two bites. Sky handed me a sandwich. That’s it. You’ve barely eaten since… Since I got the news that william had died of a stroke two weeks ago. If it weren’t for him, I’d have drowned at the bottom of a bottle by now.

Some people might have wondered why I was so torn up over the death of a former professor, but I could count the number of people I cared about who also cared about me on one hand. If he hadn’t leveraged his connections to help me the past few years, I wouldn’t be opening my own company next month.

One bite. Sky brushed his fingers through my hair. Last offer.
I had zero appetite, but I took a bite for him. I’d been so surly and irritable the past two weeks I was surprised he hadn’t left, but he’d stayed by my side through the mood swings, late nights, and restless mornings.

I didn’t know what I’d done in my past life to deserve him. I wish I did so I could repeat it on a loop and ensure we found our way to each other in every lifetime.

See? That wasn’t so bad, he teased, taking the empty wrapper from my hand and tossing it in the trash.
I glanced down, surprised to see I’d eaten the whole sandwich. You tricked me.