Sometimes It Lasts(Sea Breeze #5)(47)

Jeremy sat down on the tailgate and let out a weary sigh. “What do you want me to do? I can’t go break it off with her. She’s waiting for you to run off to Tennessee any day now. I watch her mentally prepare herself every day that you drive off. She’s telling herself you won’t be back.”

“I’m not leaving.”

He looked back at me. “What about your classes? Your scholarship? Baseball?”

“Took my exams online. Gave up my scholarship. I hated that place. Eva wasn’t there. She’s here, so this is my home. Wherever she is.”

He out a short laugh and shook his head. “You gave up a full-ride to play baseball? You’re one crazy shit.”

“I was. I’m trying to change that.”

He smirked. “Yeah, I noticed. You gonna finish school? She’s gonna be upset if she thinks you can’t finish college now.”

“Already applied for a student loan to South. I’ll start next fall.”

He nodded. “I see. You got it all figured out.”

“I came home for Eva. I’m not leaving her again.”

Jeremy turned to study me a moment. “Were any of those pictures real? Did you do that shit?”

I shook my head. “No. It was all a setup. I was there to take the pitcher’s spot, and he saw me as a threat. He thought he’d screw me up and send me running home if he messed with my relationship with Eva.”

I explained each photo to him and then the video. When I was done, we sat there in silence for a long time.

Finally Jeremy stood up. “Treat her right,” he said, and putting his hat on, he turned and walked back to the cow he’d been working with.

Chapter Nineteen

EVA

From the window in the living room I watched Cage’s car drive away. It was Friday. He wouldn’t be back. He’d go to school this weekend. He hadn’t talked to me about Bliss and when he wanted to see her or how he intended to be a part of her life. He hadn’t even asked when my next doctor’s appointment was or when she was due.

At breakfast he’d acted like he had all week. He was buttering my biscuit again. He didn’t even ask me. He just fixed my plate. And I let him while Jeremy sat there and watched. I was weak. I was also so freaking confused. What had this week even meant? Was he proving to me that what I had with Jeremy was a joke? That I was pretending again? Because I already knew that. I didn’t need him showing me how wrong I’d been.

I couldn’t marry Jeremy. I had to talk to him. Even with Cage gone, I needed to figure that out on my own. Jeremy needed to go back to school. I wasn’t destitute. I had this house and land, and Daddy had left me plenty of money in the bank. Not to mention all the stocks he had money invested in. It was time I stopped relying on someone else to save me. Bliss needed me to be strong.

The door in the kitchen opened, and I turned my head toward the sound. “Knock, knock,” Jeremy called out.

“I’m in the living room,” I replied, walking away from the window. He didn’t need to see me sulking over Cage’s leaving.

When he stepped into the room, I knew that was it. I had to end it. I had to set him free.

“We need to talk,” we both said at the same time.

Jeremy chuckled, and his crooked grin appeared. “I’m guessing we need to talk about the same thing,” he said.

I wasn’t so sure. I waited for him to say more.

“This. . . We aren’t it, Eva. We never were it. And now that we’ve had a week to deal with your daddy’s passing and we’re finding our feet, we both know this isn’t. . . it.”

Oh, thank God. I wanted to sink down onto the sofa and let out a relieved sigh. I didn’t, though. I wasn’t sure that was what he wanted to see right now. He’d been ready to sacrifice his happiness for me and I’d never forget that. “I do love you, Jeremy.”

He nodded. “I know you do. I love you, too. But we don’t have that attraction, that chemistry that goes with loving someone who you’re gonna spend your forever with.”

I had never been able to bring myself to touch him in any way other than with a friendly hug or pat. “I know,” I agreed.

“I want that. You’ve had it. I’ve seen it and I want it too. You’re amazing. Finding someone who can compare to you will be hard, but I want that heat. I want that desire. Someone told me once that I needed to find the girl who makes me feel complete. . . in every way.”

I wanted that for him too. “Yes, you do.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring I’d tried to put on all day and couldn’t bring myself to. “I’d sell this one and save my money for that girl. But whatever you do, don’t give her this ring. If she ever found out I had it first, she just might beat your ass,” I teased as I handed it back to him.

He laughed as he took it from me. “Yeah. Good idea. I’ll remember that.”

We stood there a moment and stared at each other, unsure of what to say next.

“I have cookie dough ice cream in the fridge. You want a bowl?” I asked. “We can walk down to the swing and eat it.” I wanted that friendship back. I wasn’t going to let an awkwardness settle between us.

“Bowl? Hell girl, get the carton and two spoons. We don’t need no stinking bowls.”