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“I know you would, Tug.”
As he opens his door, he flashes a huge grin, saying, “I think you have me confused with the other Hunter brother.”
Ouch! I definitely didn’t have them confused. I knew exactly the difference. I knew that only one of them was capable of breaking my heart, and despite that, I missed him terribly.
Before we reach the front door, I realize I don’t want the night to end. I’m having so much fun, and the inside of the house is tense and awkward. “Tug, I’m not ready to go in. I think I’m going to go for a drive.”
“Okay, you want some company?”
“Sure.”
“I have an idea. I’m going to get a few things, and I’ll meet you at the Jeep.”
While I’m waiting in the Jeep, thoughts of Brady fill my mind, all the way to the brim –his smile and his laugh, but also his heartache and pain, his haunted eyes when I last saw him. He’ll never let me in, and I’m starting to understand there’s no alternative other than to accept it. The question is, can I truly be with someone who won’t let me in
? Why am I clinging to the hope that he still wants to be with me? The intimate moments where nothing else existed but the two of us are what keep me holding on. They’re too special to let go of. But the ugly memories remind me that Brady has no problem walking away from women he’s been intimate with. Oh, God. He’s not coming back. It’s been weeks. Maybe I need to move on so I can heal.
Tug comes out of the garage with a crate full of wood. He sets it in the back of the Jeep and then goes back into the garage. Moments later, he comes out with a blanket and a bag and tosses them into the back. He hops in the driver’s side and holds my flip-flops between the seats. “All set.”
I smile my gratitude. My feet are killing me in these heels. “Where are we going?” I ask, swapping my shoes.
“The beach.” He smiles.
***
Once we’re at the beach, Tug builds a fire in the pit with the wood he brought. It’s chilly, and I’m grateful he thought ahead. I love fires at the beach at night. He lays the blanket out, and we sit on it. I laugh when he pulls fixings for s’mores out of the bag. He certainly did think of everything. This is perfect and I’m grateful for the distraction. He puts a marshmallow on the end of a stick and hands it to me, and picks up another stick for himself.
“I’m glad you weren’t ready to go home. I’m enjoying hanging out with you.”
I rest my head on his shoulder. “Yeah, I needed to get out. I guess I’ve been a mope lately, huh?”
He puts his head on mine. “You sure have,” he kids.
I lift my head, bumping his hard enough that we’re both rubbing knots. “Thanks for tonight, Tug. I needed this.”
After we’ve each eaten several s’mores, we lie on the blanket, looking up at the stars. The waves lap lightly onto the shore in the background. Tug points out a shooting star and tells me to make a wish. There is only one thing I want. I’m not sure wishing on a star will make it happen, though. Brady’s made his decision.
Tug rolls over, props himself up on his elbow, and looks at me with caring eyes. “Did you make a wish?”
I shrug.
“You wanna talk about it?”
I shake my head. “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”
“I’m not asking what you wished for. I’m asking about why the wish is needed. Did you and Brady have a fight?”
I sigh and then decide to answer because I need to vent to someone. “Not exactly. He just can’t get over Vanessa.” I nearly let what happened to Vanessa slip. I caught myself at the last second.
“Do you think he still loves her?”
I smile warmly at him. He’s only trying to help. Of course Brady still loves her, just not in the way Tug assumes he does. “Can we not talk about Brady?”
He drops it and rolls onto his back. We stare into the night sky. I glance at Tug and realize I haven’t laughed or smiled this much in more than three weeks. Although she tries every day, not even Liv has been able to shake me from my funk. In one day, without even trying, Tug has me feeling like my old self. Or at least close to it.
The fire dies, and I start to get cold. Tug pats his chest, and I slide over next to him and huddle in close. His warm arm folds around me, and I let him hold me. It’s more intimate than I should be with him, but it’s nice. Before long, my eyelids grow heavy, and I fall asleep in Tug’s arms.
Strange voices interrupt my sleep. I open my eyes to find two police officers standing above me. I have no idea what time it is, but it’s still dark. I nudge Tug. He mumbles but doesn’t wake up. One of the officers laughs. “Hey, you two can’t sleep on the beach.”
