Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(90)

I’d always wanted my brother to come home and have a relationship with our father. But that would mean that I wouldn’t be in Hugh’s bed tonight. Probably never again.

My heart ached.

It ached for something that was never really mine.

“Sure,” I whispered, catching Del’s eye when I looked away. I saw all the empathy there because my best friend knew that I was hurting. Hurting for a million different reasons, but only one mattered at the moment.

“I love you, guys. I’ll be back in a few months, okay?” I took turns hugging them, anxious to get to Reynolds’ to find Hugh.

We hugged, and we cried, and Travis hurried me to his car, as he said he was heading over to Reynolds’, as well, which meant I wouldn’t get to talk to Hugh alone.

Del mouthed the words, “Tell him,” before turning and walking to her car with Rina and Sloane. But what would be the point of saying anything now? I was leaving in less than twenty-four hours.

If Hugh didn’t want me to leave, I’d need him to tell me that.

Travis was on the phone with Shay, telling her to pack a bag because they’d be staying at my dad’s tonight. He ended the call just as we pulled out of the parking lot.

“I’m so damn proud of you, Lila,” he said, catching me off guard.

“Thank you.” My voice was quiet as the reality of what was happening was setting in. I was leaving in the morning. I was sleeping at my father’s. I’d have no time alone with Hugh. No more showers or boat rides or skinny dips in the cove. No more cuddles in bed or morning runs with him biking beside me. No more Sunday dinners or long conversations about what we wanted out of life.

I’d come home to help my father, and I’d done it.

I didn’t know how long it would last, but it was a start, and I felt hopeful.

I’d wanted to lose my virginity, and I’d done that, too.

With the kind of man women dream of spending a night with. And he’d been all mine all summer.

But time was up, and we were both going to return to our normal lives.

But I’d found my new normal, and I’d loved it.

“I was wrong, you know?”

“How so?” I asked, as he pulled into the lot behind Reynolds’.

“About Dad. He’s different, and I never thought I’d say those words. You were right not to give up on him. I’m not holding my breath that this will last forever, but it’s lasted longer than it ever has in my lifetime, so I’m going to enjoy it.”

A tear slipped down my cheek. “Will you keep your eye on him?”

“I will.”

I nodded. “Thanks for staying at the house tonight. I can get us some takeout, and we can all have dinner together, okay?”

“I’ll get dinner. You get your stuff packed up. I know you love Sunday dinners at the Reynolds’, so if I can give you a Monday night dinner at the Jameses’, I’d like to do it.”

I chuckled and wiped at my cheek before pushing the door open. Travis followed me inside, and I felt guilty that I’d wished he wouldn’t have. Hugh was standing behind the bar, talking with Brax, who was sitting on a bar stool across from him. They looked like they were having a pretty intense conversation.

“Lila, thank God you’re here. I need to talk to you.” Brandy smiled at me as we approached the hostess stand and then raised her brows at my brother, letting him know she didn’t want an audience.

“I’ll be at the bar.” Travis stepped away, and I hated that he was going to be the one to tell Hugh that I was leaving sooner than expected. Maybe this was for the best. There’d be no drawn-out goodbye. No sad ending to something that was supposed to be a summer fling.

“What’s going on?” I turned my attention to Brandy, but my gaze kept moving to the bar, where my brother was definitely filling in Hugh and Brax on my news. Hugh’s eyes found mine, just like they always did. His smile looked forced, or maybe I was reading into it. Maybe he was relieved that this was over.

“Lionel asked me out,” Brandy all but squealed, as she leaned so far over the hostess stand that I had to reach for her shoulders to make sure she didn’t fall over.

“Yes. I knew he liked you. It just takes some boys a little longer to figure it out,” I said. My voice was all tease, but my heart was shattering in my chest, my mind reeling that my time with Hugh was over. And I couldn’t let anyone know how sad I was because the whole thing had been a secret.

Brandy gave me all the details about how he’d asked her out, and I gave her some suggestions for what to wear before my brother called for me.

“I’ll come say goodbye before I leave, but I wanted to let you know that I’m leaving a few days early, and I’m heading back to Chicago tomorrow.”

“What? No! Hugh had a whole surprise party planned for you next week,” she said, before slapping a hand over her mouth. “Don’t tell him I told you. But I think he’s going to take it the hardest of all.”

“He’ll be fine,” I said, shaking my head and processing the fact that he was going to throw me a party. “This place is running so well now you won’t even know I’m gone.”

“Are you kidding? You light up every room you enter, Lila James.” Brandy came around the hostess stand and hugged me so tight I had to fight back the tears threatening to fall. I was going to miss this place so much.