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Somehow, seeing her beaming at him made him realize how little she cared about what he’d gone through when she’d broken things off. It was like nothing at all had changed from that day she’d accidentally kissed him in the barn.
His love for her warred against his hurt pride. His ravaged emotions churned chaotically through his veins.
He needed to clear his head… or maybe… just maybe talk to her, though he feared more than anything her hurried apologies about how “things sometimes aren’t meant to be,” followed by her pleas of “Let’s be friends… no, brother and sister actually. How cute is that?”
He groaned, knowing he’d turn on his heel and leave her talking to herself.
For all his vengeful thoughts, he was having trouble getting his feet to work to go to her.
River and Emily’s song ended. It faded into the adventure cry of birds flying over the garden with the powerful beat of their wings as the flock followed an undeniable instinct for warmth.
Eva watched Cole through the crowd. Her confidence seemed to waver with her smile until she took a hesitant step towards him.
West whipped around. His hand went to her wrist to stop her. Cole stiffened when his brother’s defiant eyes met his in a challenge. When Cole didn’t make any move—towards them or away—those blue eyes narrowed on him.
What did his brother want from him? Did it matter? Now that West had gotten involved, he’d never keep Cole away.
Cadence clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention on the platform between him and his prey. “Please, everyone sit down. I’d like to say a few words before we start our celebration of life for our sweetest Lily Slade.”
Love you, Momma, but this is poor timing.
Cole’s fingers clenched around his momma’s snapdragon and he stopped himself from going after West. He blindly found a seat at the nearest table.
West rolled his eyes at him and tugged Eva into a seat next to him. Too roughly.
Cole snarled low under his breath, feeling like he could gladly land a punch in his brother’s smug face. Those bruises from before had faded. He needed some new ones.
A soft hand rubbed his knuckles. Turning, Cole jumped when he saw Kylee. She smiled over at him.
Cole licked his lips, realizing that the sudden attention from Eva’s rival could either be an extreme case of good luck or bad. His focus was all on Eva. Her serene expression from before had tightened.
Was that from jealousy or annoyance?
He had every intention of finding out.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“What are you doing?” Eva hissed. West had practically dragged her into this seat to keep her from going after Cole.
“I’m saving you from yourself,” West whispered beside her with a shrug. “Youdon’t go to him, not after what you did.”
That was exactly what Eva should do! She should’ve explained to West her plans on the ride over. She’d been up all night imagining the moment she threw herself into Cole’s arms and begged for his forgiveness… although judging by West’s knowing face, he had suspected as much. “I’m the one who hurt him,” she reminded him.
“Exactly, and he’s not going to want anything to do with you.”
She whimpered out in confusion. “I didn’t mean to.” West hadn’t explained any of these complications a few nights ago when he’d proposed this plan. Did he think she was a complete space case and she’d never get the male mind? “I just need to tell him why I did what I did.”
He snorted and lowered his head next to her ear, so that she’d be the only lucky recipient of his counsel. “Look at him for a second. You see him and Kylee?”
Of course she did! She sneaked another glance over. Cole’s jaw was set. Kylee was the one leaning, actually, but he didn’t seem to be inching away at all. It was like he was a statue for how much he was trying to escape that flirt. Eva’s whole body ached with tension as she watched the conniving Morningstar slowly but surely try to claim Eva’s man.
Kylee would be sitting on his lap soon!
“Yeah.” Eva let the word reluctantly move past her irate lips. “Don’t just sit there gloating. Tell me what to do about it.”
Cole didn’t need someone putting the moves on him at his momma’s memorial; the man needed a hug of compassion. He needed Eva!
“If either of you wants this to work out between you,” West muttered, “then he can’t sit there like a pile of rocks. He needs to go after you like a knight rescuing his lady from the snapping fangs of a dragon.”
