AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She could be grasping at straws in thinking that Jake wanted more... but then again she knew Jake. She'd been his friend and the woman who loved him for over three years.
All she had to do now was prove to him that he was worthy of her love.
EVA COULD TELLClint knew something was up because for the first time in over a year, she'd shown up sans cookies or muffins.
"Eva," he said, reversing his chair and allowing her to come inside the rustic yet contemporary lake house. "What a nice surprise."
"Hey," Eva said, stepping into the large hearth room. Mounted ducks flew over the stone fireplace, and skylights brought in lovely natural light. "Is your father here?"
"No, he's in town picking up some things. What are you doing here? Not your usual day to visit us." He maneuvered so he faced the large floor-to ceiling wall that overlooked the lake. The water was choppy and though it was far, she could see the clearing where she and Jake had made love. A pair of binoculars sat on a small nearby table, giving her a sickish feeling in her stomach. Had Clint watched them make love?
It was a creepy thought, but how else would he have known about them?
"Good, because I needed to talk to you. Privately," she said.
"Is this about our conversation last weekend? Have you given some thought to my question?"
"No."
He lifted his eyebrows but said nothing.
"This is about you and Jake," she said.
"Me and Jake?" His voice sounded incredulous, but she could tell he knew what she meant. "What about us?"
"You know what this is about. Don't play dumb. Too many people overheard you in Ray-Ray's. Did you think I wouldn't hear the rumors?"
"I didn't care if you heard the rumors. I meant what I said. Jake has no business messing with you. He's used goods."
"Used goods? Why? Because he's slept around? This isn't the Victorian Age, Clint. Men and women do have sex outside of marriage, quite frequently, in fact. So don't cast that judgment on him. Not even his own father does that."
Bitterness etched Clint's strong jaw. "Oh, I see. It's too late. You're already smitten with the great Jake Beauchamp. Fine. Go ahead and give it a try. You'll soon find out that nothing will come of it."
Eva set her hands on her hips and glared at Clint. "So you think you can manipulate everyone around you, huh? What, you sit up here on your high horse and plan how you can manipulate people using past mistakes against them?"
"You think that's what I do?" Clint's self-righteous smirk disappeared. Target hit.
"Seems like it. You love to lord the fact you were handicapped in that accident over Jake. You've chained him to you with guilt, and the thing is, he loves you."
"No, he doesn't. He feels obligated. Think I don't know that?" Clint said, his voice sad. Like he wished it wasn't so.
"Maybe he feels obligated, but he shows up. He shows up for you every week.If the shoe were on the other foot, would you do the same?"
"But it's not," Clint said softly. "The shoe is on my foot, and I live with that every day. I live with the colostomy bag, with strange nerve pain, with the fact I can't do what Jake does. I can't pick up women, swagger around and sweet-talk everything in a skirt anymore. I live with that shoe onmyfoot every day. So if Jake feels guilty, good. He should."
Eva shook her head. "How can you live like that? How can you hold him in your palm like that and squeeze so hard?"
Clint sat a stone, unmoved.
"But this time you didn't merely manipulate Jake, you manipulated me. You didn't think this would affect me? That I wouldn't hurt because of your selfishness?"
"My selfishness? Because I think Jake will hurt you? Because I think being with him is an exercise in futility? I spoke to him on your behalf."
"I never asked you to. You had no right."
"Maybe not, but sometimes one has to do things for his friends for their own good. Like you do for Charlie."
"Oh, my God. You really believe what you did was right.”
