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“You should be careful bringing him around me.”
“One meal isn’t going to hurt.” Though she isn’t wrong, I refuse to concede. Something brews between us. Whether it’s a gentle change of the tide or a cataclysmic storm remains to be seen.
“I need space to figure things out, and so far, you’re determined not to give it to me.” She plants one foot on the ground and crooks her knee, resting her elbow there. A breeze captures tendrils of her hair that shine in the setting sun. The candid appearance highlights her beauty.
I wrap my fingers around her delicate wrist. “You have to understand that I can’t just walk away from you in this parking lot and be okay with it.”
“You don’t exactly have a choice. You have to realize you already won me over. The rest is about me.”
“Wanting to take care of you isn’t about winning you over.” I offer her a wrapped deli sandwich on ciabatta bread.
“Buying me things proves there’s a discrepancy. One I’m working hard to minimize so I don’t feel like a freeloader.”
Tommy crawls over and plants himself right in Evie’s lap, curbing the majority of our conversation. I hand him his own turkey and cheese sandwich on sliced bread.
“I don’t see it that way.”
She huffs in quiet frustration. “I’m so close to feeling my own sense of independence. Once I replace the loss of Nora’s business and gain a few more clients, I’ll be there. I can almost taste it.”
“Then why not let me help?” I dig into my own food with a hearty bite.
“I can’t explain it any more than I already have.”
The conversation halts over half-eaten sandwiches and tumultuous feelings. As soon as Tommy drops the remnants of his crust, Evie gives the fire truck a few more passes around the blanket before she stands and wipes her hands on h
er gray yoga pants.
“Where are you going?” I tuck the loose deli paper packaging back into the plastic bag I brought with us.
She speaks to the horizon. “I’m going to go for a while. Be alone with my thoughts.”
“Wait.” The note of panic in my tone is undisguised. “I brought you some things.” I shake out the plastic bag, and items drop to the blanket. A container of bear spray for predators of the animal or human variety. An alarm for her keychain that screeches ungodly loud when pulled. A spare key to my house so she can come use the shower or hopefully the guest bed.
“Rhett, stop. Please.” Her eyes hold a touch of sadness. “You can’t spend money to fix this. I let you get away with buying me dinner for weeks now, but this is too much.”
I run a hand through my hair, feeling lost. “What good is having money if I can’t use it to help?”
“Maybe you need space too so you can figure that one out. If you think I like you for your money or have been sleeping with you in hopes you’ll be my sugar daddy, you’re dead wrong.” She holds out her hand for Ghost’s leash.
“Whoa, Evie. I never thought that was your intention.” I rise to my feet to stop her.
A sad smile stretches her lips. “Please give me my dog.” Her patience wanes. I reluctantly hand over the leash and tuck my unoccupied hands into my pockets, not about to make a scene in front of my son.
“When can I see you again?”
“I’ll let you know. But for the time being, it’s probably best we remain as friends.”
She removes my access to her as easily as one sheds clothing and diminishes my choices down to one. Wait for her until she’s ready.
Because I sure as fuck won’t give up without a fight.
25
Evie
Ominous, dark clouds float low overhead as Ghost and I crest the top of the cliff. A less impulsive person would have glanced at a weather report before taking a hike a few hours long. Instead, I’m too busy fleeing the memories of last night to pay enough attention. I tip my face to the darkening sky. There’s a probable chance we’ll be returning in the rain.
As much as I’d like to stay and admire the view—the contrasts of grays and browns coloring the expanse of cliffs and water and sky—I turn on a heel and begin our trek down to outrun the storm.
