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“From me?” I ask her and she still won’t meet my eyes.
“You can hurt me, you know? I just don’t want to get even more attached to you if you’re going to leave soon.”
I open my mouth, intending to reassure her that I’m not going anywhere, but can I really do that?
Rosewood hasn’t been that bad since I’ve been back, but do I really want to live here for the rest of my life? There’s a lot of places in the world, a lot of places with no memories or baggage for me.
“Jasper, do you want to stay in Rosewood?”
She studies my face and I rack my brain. I can’t help but think about Gray. I would like to be closer to him and living near him would probably help with that. Do I want to live in a big city though? What would I do for work? I guess I could hook back up with Brooks and we could figure something out, the security business we talked about.
I stare down at Evangeline and I want to tell her that I’m staying, that I want to be with her too but I just can’t. I need to figure out my next moves before I promise Evangeline anything.
Evangeline’s green eyes are swimming in tears and it breaks my heart to see her this way.
“Evangeline,” I start, but she backs up, spinning on her heel, her black hair flying behind her, and hurrying out the doors.
I watch helplessly as she climbs into her truck and pulls out of the lot.
I want to go after her but it feels like maybe we both need some time to think about things.
Could we just not be compatible?
I know that I love her. She’s the only one that I’ve felt this way about and I don’t want to lose her, but can I be happy here in Rosewood? Can I really forget everything that happened to me in this town?
Maybe things will be better after the house is finished and sold. Maybe a few therapy sessions and I’ll be able to handle the feelings that this town has me feeling.
Unfortunately, I won’t know any of that for a while and I’m not sure that Evangeline will accept that answer.
I finish bringing in the planters and I turn off the lights, making sure that everything is closed down before I lock the front doors and head over to my Jeep.
I climb in and head back to the hotel, riding the elevator up alone. As I enter my room, a feeling of loneliness hits me. It’s the same way that I used to feel when I was younger. Strange that the emotion is only hitting me again now that things are up in the air with Evangeline.
I head to the bedroom, lying down on the mattress that has been killing my back for the last few weeks and I wonder if maybe it is time to finally pull myself together and figure out what I want to do with my life.
And who I want to do it with.
ChapterFourteen
Evangeline
I stare blankly out the front windows of The Garden Goddess, watching as the rain pours down. It’s been raining all week which has seriously hurt business, but I don’t mind. The weather seems to fit with my mood.
It’s been a week since Jasper and I talked and I left here in tears. I haven’t seen or heard from him since. In fact, I heard that Jasper isn’t even in town anymore. Word is that he packed up, checked out of the hotel and headed to Pittsburgh.
Part of me is happy to hear that he’s getting to spend some time reconnecting with his brother. He is the last bit of family that Jasper has left, but I still wish that he had chosen me.
I miss him.
I turn away from the window, walking around the nursery and checking that all of the plants have enough water. I’ve already done it twice today and it’s a lousy way to distract myself.
My phone goes off and I can’t help but hope that it’s Jasper.
It’s not.
Sydney: We’re worried about you, Evan!
Rowan: Yeah, we’re here if you want to talk.
