While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3)(27)

“Hey Cage,” Larissa said into the phone.

“Hey baby girl. You having fun with Low?”

“Yes! Martus here too,” she yelled into the phone. She hadn’t figured out yet that she could just speak normally into the phone.

“Then I bet you’re getting all kinds of attention. How are all your princesses doing?”

“Got a new one! Martus buyed me Media. Her has Low Low’s hair.”

I had no idea what that meant but I wasn’t about to tell her that.

“You’ll have to show me next time I see you.”

Low started talking and Larissa told me, “Bye”

“Did you get that thing about the princess’s new hair?” Low asked with an amused voice.

“Nope.”

“Didn’t think you would. Disney has a new princess. Her name is Merida and her hair is long, red, and curly. It is much messier than mine but Marcus is having entirely too much fun with it. He’s bought Larissa several Merida things and calls her Princess Low instead.”

The happiness in her voice made everything that was wrong feel right. She’d been handed one shithole life. Now things had changed and Low had finally found herself a break.

“I can’t wait to see this new redheaded princess.”

“Hmmm, but that isn’t why you called. What’s up?”

“I need,” I turned around to see Eva standing in the doorway with an odd expression. “Uh, let me call you back.” I ended the call and walked over to take Eva’s hand and pull her inside so I could close the door behind her.

“Hey, you’re back.”

She stared up at me with a softness I wasn’t expecting. “Did I just hear you talk to a little girl about her princesses?”

How long had she been standing there?

“Yeah, it was Low’s niece, Larissa.”

“And you talk to her on the phone about her dolls? I really don’t know you at all, Cage York.”

I reached out and wrapped one of her long curls around my finger. I just needed to touch her somehow. “You’re back,” I repeated.

She tried to smile and failed. I could see the small wobble in her bottom lip.

“What’s wrong?” I asked already knowing this was about Jeremy.

A small tear escaped and I quickly swiped it away with my finger. “Jeremy is moving. He needs to. I want him to. I mean he needs to live his life.” She swallowed hard then closed her eyes tightly. “I knew he was moving before he told me. Seeing his apartment and his new life just was a lot to take in. I’m happy for him but I’m going to miss him. I’ll be lost without him.”

I pulled her into my arms and she buried her face in my shoulder. The warm tears splashed against my skin and each drop broke my heart. I’d fix this if I knew how. I just didn’t know what to do that could make this any better. Jeremy was her safety net.

“It’s just that,” she choked out, “he’s moving on. He’s forgetting.” She stopped herself and pulled back from me. I could see the pain in her eyes and the desire to tell me about Josh. I wanted her to. I wanted to be able to talk to her about it. I hated that she felt like she only had Jeremy to run to.

“What’s he forgetting, Eva?” I asked. She’d avoided telling me anything more about the fact she’d taken off her engagement ring. I was trying so hard to keep her from running from me but I needed more now.

“The past,” she finally replied. Turning around she reached for the doorknob. Fuck. She was gonna run.

“Don’t,” I begged. “Stay. Talk to me.”

She didn’t turn back around. Instead, she opened the door and walked away.





Eva

Cage hadn’t returned until after midnight Sunday night. The only reason I knew this was because the last time I looked at the clock by my bed it said it was 12:05 am. Shortly after, I’d fallen asleep. By the time I got up Monday morning, Cage was already out with the cows. Daddy was having him tag the ones he was sending to the stockyard. I’d gone down to the lake hoping he’d come looking for me but after three hours I realized I’d pushed him too far.

He’d been open with me from the beginning. He hadn’t held back anytime I asked him something. I knew so much more about him than he knew about me. That was my fault. How did I tell him about Josh? How did I explain to another guy that losing Josh broke me? How would I deal with seeing the pity in Cage’s eyes when he looked at me? I just didn’t think I could handle it. Jeremy was moving on but I couldn’t.

I’d gone back to delivering Cage’s towel and thermos anonymously. He obviously didn’t want to see me. I’d walked out on him when he’d asked me not to go. The pleading sound in his voice haunted my dreams.

He wasn’t the hard selfish playboy I’d expected when I first met him. Cage was gentle when he needed to be. The way his voice had gone all sweet when he’d talked to the little girl on the phone and the way he’d so willingly pulled me into his arms without question to comfort me when he realized I was upset proved it.

When he’d noticed my ring was missing he’d asked me about it and I’d ignored it and distracted him. He hadn’t pushed for more then either. Cage had put up with a lot from me. He’d had enough.