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Nash noticed that Eva startled at that.
“Let this video come out,” Emily said. “And whatever else they try to use against me, I’m good for it. Millie deserves a fair deal, and you deserve your life back.”
He hesitated, fighting with himself. To put Emily in that kind of danger? He couldn’t give her the answer that she wanted.
She wiped at her eyes, watching him expectantly. She bit her lip when the silence stretched out between them.
Eva cleared her throat behind them. “I’ll just see my way out,” she said in a hushed tone.
Emily’s hands slid from Nash’s. He wondered if this would be the last time that he’d feel them in his. “Wait,” Emily called to her. “Don’t go yet. I need a ride into town.”
“What? Now?” Eva’s eyes went to Nash, like an avid fan pleading for her favorite soap opera hero to go after his girl. Eva didn’t understand. Nash couldn’t fix this. His life was going to be in shambles after this—he couldn’t drag Emily into that with him. He nodded at Eva to take her away. She owed him after breaking things to Emily like this. He’d wanted one last good day with her.
“Yeah, I’ll wait,” Eva said, too slowly. “Take your time packing, Emily. You don’t want to leave anything behind.”
Emily left for her room without a backwards glance at Nash.
Eva let out a sigh and turned to him. “You idiot. You trying to mess everything up?” She clapped her hands together. “How about this? I’ll go before she can get packed, then you can talk her into seeing things your way.”
What kind of world did Eva live in? “Emily isnotgoing to see things my way. She’s right about everything.”
“No, no…poor boy.” She wrestled her keys from her purse and pressed his arm. “You’re just doing your job.”
He snatched Eva’s keys from her before she tried to make a break for it. He wasn’t going to hold Emily back another second. “Give her that ride home.”
“Wow,” Eva said. She pressed her heels into the ground with a furrowed brow. “You’re a romantic… I wonder if your brother is.”
Not a chance. Nash was nothing like West. Sometimes Nash wished that he was, so he could outsmart him.
Emily came back with her luggage. She hadn’t changed from her pajamas. She must’ve suspected that Eva might try to leave without her. Nash tried to take her luggage from her. She let him. Poor girl probably didn’t have a choice. He’d had a hard time getting that heavy mass into his truck the last time.
He rolled it out the door, but once they reached the gravel, he heaved it into his arms to take to Eva’s backseat, his lip curling at the weight. Eva drove a sleek red convertible Tesla Roadster. Emily was in for quite the luxury ride.
And yeah, thinking about those trivial little details distracted him from the person who was at the forefront of his mind. Emily’s flipflops slapped under her feet, her every step away from this place sinking that knife deeper into his gut.
He swallowed back the lump in his throat.
Lizardman trotted after them, like he was seeing themalloff. The pup preferred his days at the ranch with his newfound friend. Nash should do everyone a favor and leave Lizardman here to live the good life. At least someone deserved to be happy after all this.
Nash settled the luggage into the back seat, and followed that with her guitar, before he turned to Emily. He was sorry the minute that he did. The morning sun played with the flyaways of her hair like a halo; it glinted over her rosy cheek. She had no makeup, and she looked angelic—that was the only way to describe Emily. She took his breath away.
Now that he’d made the mistake of really seeing her, he couldn’t tear his eyes from her. She brushed against him to stuff some forgotten jacket into the side pocket of her luggage, not keeping her distance from him at all. Was she trying to kill him? He inhaled the scent of strawberries in her hair.
Who needed Millie’s pies with Emily around?
She spun on her heel to face him. “Did you mean what you asked me last night?”
“What? To marry me? Yes.” Obviously, she wasn’t going for that now.
“So did I,” she said, startling him. “Let me in, Nash.” She bowed her head, playing with her fingers, before she lifted her chin to catch him with the most earnest expression that he’d ever seen in his life. His breath caught. “The thing is,” she said, “you helped me open my heart. And I owe you everything, for reminding me who I am, and for helping me love that, too… so thank you. I’m going to try to return the favor: You’re Nash, so do what Nash does best. You know what that is, and I’m waiting for it.” Emily pressed a kiss against his cheek as soft as the rustling wind. She moved around Eva’s car to get into the passenger’s seat.
His cheek burned from that brief touch as he watched her leave. He could barely comprehend what she was saying; to do that would open a flood of anger and regret, and worse? Heartbreak.
Eva tilted her head over at Emily. “Go after her,” she mouthed.
Eva didn’t understand. He was in hot water. Her stupid daddy ran his life now. His jaw clenched and he stepped back, forcing every part of him to go numb, so that Eva could take away everything that he cared about. Emily deserved a man who didn’t complicate her life.
Eva shook her head at Nash and got into the driver’s side. She slid her shades over her eyes. “Idiot,” she muttered. She peeled out of the graveled road. He was sure that she’d make more noise if she could, but she had one of those electric cars that ruined dramatic exits.
