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I so badly wanted to spout a snarky response but refrained.
“Higher!” I giggled as I sliced through the air and my hair blew behind me. Familiar flutters made me laugh more. I turned my face up to the sky and absorbed the sun’s warmth. “God, I missed this!”
When Jake didn’t respond or continued pushing me, I looked back at him. His gaze was fixed on the tree.
I knew exactly what he had found: a heart with C + S carved into the trunk.
“So Cade pushed you too?” Jealousy turned Jake’s green eyes black.
“Um…”
“Well, did he?” Jake’s voice rose several octaves.
“Yes.”
“Figures, if this is your favorite, most-loved tree. A tree documenting the love you and Cade shared. A remembrance to last a lifetime on your fucking beloved tree!” His face turned beet red, like he was about to explode.
I dug my boots into the ground to stop. It was possible I’d brought him here on purpose, albeit subconsciously.What are you doing, Shelby?
“When was this grand gesture made?” He pinned me in place and seethed.
“The summer before my junior year of high school.”
“Was it for anything special? Or just because?”
Oh, God. I sensed this wouldn’t end well. “Why do you want to do this?”
“Because I want to know!”
Fine. I would tell him the truth. “We promised to stay together and love each other forever after we made love for the first time.”
“Fuck, you guys were intense teenagers! Like a goddamn romance novel!” Jake seemed to struggle to breathe, his jaw tight and his face still red like a maraschino cherry.
“We have a history together. But I’m not with him.” I twisted my hands together, unsure of what to do, after poking a sleeping grizzly bear. This side of Jake, a side I’d never encountered before, made me uneasy. “You need to let it go.”
Jake let out a frustrated breath. “You’re right. I’ll drop it.” He opened his arms to me and his personality changed in a flash.
Too afraid to reject him, I walked into them.
“Knowing the history you have with this guy unnerves me.” He squeezed me like a python would his prey.
“It was a lifetime ago,” I replied as best I could.
“Except he’s still in your life.”
I pulled back and looked him in the eyes. “I’m here with you.” My words left a sour taste in my mouth. “We should go back to the house.”
“Good idea.” He kissed me softly, but I broke away, eager to be with other people and not alone with Jake.
I honestly didn’t know what was going on with him or me.
11
Cade
“Fucking hangover!” I stomped into the barn, flicking cow shit off my chin and shirt. Never have I ever tripped over my own goddamn feet.
Should’ve listened to my dad and stayed in bed when he came looking for me at the ass crack of dawn. He’d found me on the couch naked and with an empty bottle of tequila. A splendid way to start the day. He hadn’t given me a hard time about it, because he probably knew it had everything to do with Shelby.
