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“Your really shady business partner is probably going to end up driving your company into the ground, and she’s a first-grade English teacher,” Cory reminds me with a shake of his head. “And her grandfather is the governor to boot. Do you really think she’s going to be willing to overlook the fact that you are reluctant to turn your back on Isaiah?”
I pull my teeth back and snarl. “Shut up.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this.” Cory looks down at me and grimaces, “but someone needs to tell you. I’m your family, so I need you to listen to me. You don’t have a future with her.”
All at once, I manage to shove Cory off, and while he regains his footing, I throw myself at him. He stands, but I am wrapped firmly around his neck, so he can’t seem to shake me off. Around and around, we go until we are both dizzy and nauseated. Finally, I release Cory and place my hands on either side of my thighs.
“I know you’re right,” I mumble in between pants.
Cory uses the back of his hand to wipe the sweat off his face. “If it helps, I don’t want to be.”
I push myself up to my feet and glance over at him. “It does help.”
As much as I hate to admit it, there is a reason I can’t picture the two of us together.
What kind of future do the two of us have?
EVIE
“Hey.”
I glance up and lower the book. “Hey.”
Shane hovers in the doorway with both hands shoved in his pockets. “What are you reading?”
“Tess of the D’urbervilles,” I reply, with a small smile. “Have you ever read it?”
Shane shakes his head. “No, I haven’t.”
I clear my throat and stand up. “Shane, about the other day—”
Shane holds a hand up, and his entire expression changes. His eyes are wide and watchful. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”
I frown. “I wasn’t going to apologize.”
Shane raises an eyebrow. “So, you were just going to take it back?”
I fold my arms over my chest and level him with a look. “No, that’s not what I was going to do at all. If you hadn’t interrupted me, I would’ve told you that I think we should talk.”
“About what?”
I blow out a breath. “Don’t do that. Don’t act like what happened between us isn’t a big deal.”
Shane’s expression tightens. “I didn’t say that, and I’d appreciate it if you would stop putting words in my mouth.”
“Putting words in your mouth would be something at least.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I bridge the gap between us and point a finger at him. “You’ve been avoiding me all week, and before you think of making excuses, just don’t. I’m not stupid, and I do notice a lot more than you think.”
Including the fact that he’s gone out of his way to avoid me…
First, it was drawing his cousin into a conversation when he saw me at the other end of the hallway. Then he stopped showing up to check on me regularly, preferring to pop in at random intervals with a blank look on his face. In the span of a week, we’ve gone from playful banter and meaningful glances to frosty indifference.
And I can’t understand why.
I know that bringing up the dynamics of our relationship wasn’t the best course of action at the time, especially on the heels of the intimate moment we’ve shared. However, I do still believe it is a necessary conversation to have, and Shane refusing to acknowledge the reality doesn’t change anything, not as far as I am concerned.
