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Seth waved his hands impatiently. “So, I’m assuming you didn’t correct Everleigh about the you and Michelle debacle?”
My hesitation was answer enough and Seth laughed even more. “You are in a world of trouble, brother. If I were you, I’d tell Everleigh the truth as soon as possible before she finds out from someone else. We both know how hardheaded she can be. When she gets pissed at someone, it takes a long time for her to get over it.”
Groaning, I grabbed my beer and finished it off. “Yeah, I know. It was just a test to see if I could pick up any lingering feelings she might have.”
“And did you?” Seth wondered.
I shrugged. “There was something, but she’s gotten good at building walls. Maybe that’s what happens when you become a surgeon. You have to shut off the emotions when you’re trying to save lives.” More thunder rumbled overhead, and I looked up at the thickening gray clouds. “I just hope she doesn’t stay mad at me for long.” I met Seth’s gaze again. “Now that she’s here and I’ve seen her again, I don’t want her to leave without knowing how I feel.”
Seth stood in front of me and slapped his hands on my shoulders. “Here’s what you need to do. Eat dinner here and then go right back over to Everleigh’s either tonight or tomorrow morning and tell her the truth. Lay it all out. This is the chance you’ve been waiting on.”
There was still a connection between me and Everleigh; I could feel it. Even if she didn’t forgive me for lying, I wasn’t going to let her go without hearing me out.
11
EVERLEIGH
Ihave never felt more like an idiot than I do now. My heart raced as the heat of fury surged through me like lava. Out of everything my mother could’ve told me, this was not what I expected to hear.
Jensen wasnotmarried.
How had she kept this from me? My mouth dropped as I glared at her. I pointed an accusing finger, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Did you know what Jensen was planning?”
My mother shook her head, but there was a playful glint in her eyes that made me even angrier. She reached down and grabbed her golden clutch off the coffee table.
“No, sweetheart,” she said airily. “But whatever the reason, it seems to me that he wanted to see how you would react.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance. “Really? And why would he want that?”
My mother smiled and stepped closer, a knowing look in her eye. “Because if you didn’t care about him, none of this would make you so angry. You wouldn’t be reacting like this if you didn’t still have feelings for him.”
“Or he just wanted me to look like an idiot,” I fired back.
My mother laughed softly and cupped my cheek. “Everleigh, you’re the one who refused to talk about him the past several years. Jensen and Michelle broke off the engagement six years ago. It worked out for the best because she’s happily married with a baby on the way.” She paused for a second and sighed. “If you looked like a fool with Jensen, you can only blame yourself. I would’ve told you, but I distinctly remember there was a Jensen-related ban placed on all of us. You were obviously scared to hear anything about him. You might want to ask yourself why that is.”
I already knew the answer to that, and maybe she was right, I was scared to hear about him.
My mom patted my cheek before walking to the door. She opened it but then stopped and faced me, her hands clutching her purse. “Now that you’re home, maybe it’s time to settle things with Jensen, once and for all. Especially with the circumstances. I know you got tired of hearing your grandmother talk about fate and whatnot, but you need to take a good look at what’s going on.” Her expression softened. “You’re thirty-four years old and single. So is Jensen. You haven’t found happiness and neither has he. Think about it.”
All I could think about was how embarrassed and angry I felt. I still couldn’t believe he outright lied to me.
She walked out of the glass patio door and gently shut it behind her. I grabbed my phone and wanted to call Nyla and tell her everything, but my gut wanted me to do something else.
Once my mother backed out of the driveway, I waited for her to disappear down the road before grabbing my keys. Was I about to make a mistake? People always said your first instinct was usually the right one. I could pretend I didn’t know the truth and then keep the charade going until it blew up in Jensen’s face. But there was only one problem with that—I didn’t like playing games. I wanted to go to his house and let everything out.
For the first time in years, things became clearer. Feelings I kept hidden deep within me had finally surfaced, feelings I didn’t even know I harbored. I grabbed my purse off the kitchen counter and hurried to my car. A storm was coming in from the sea, and it reminded me of the storm brewing inside me.
Jensen lived about ten minutes away, but I made it there in seven. His Bronco wasn’t there when I arrived, but I hoped he’d be back at some point. I hopped out of my car and sat on his front porch as the rain poured in. The thunder crashed and the lightning lit up the sky.
I placed a hand over my heart, feeling it race with each passing second. I was furious with Jensen, and once I said what needed to be said to him, things were going to change.
* * *
The rumbleof Jensen’s old blue Bronco echoed off the trees as it came down Yacht Drive. I was still on his porch, my anger simmering like a pot waiting to boil over.
When he pulled into the driveway and stepped out of his car, there was an expression of regret and shame written across his face. His grayish-blue gaze only seemed to sharpen with each moment that passed.
