While It Lasts (Sea Breeze #3)(60)

I turned the knob slowly and pushed it open.

“Ladies first,” I said, stepping back to let her go inside.

Eva gave me a small confused smile and stepped in the room. I followed her inside never once taking my eyes off her face. The moment she saw the piano sitting in the middle of the living room with a dozen red roses laying on top of it, she froze. Her jaw dropped then she walked slowly toward the piano. I didn’t breathe. I couldn’t. I needed her to say something. Had I done the wrong thing getting it for her?

Eva ran her fingers over the ivory keys then she reached over and picked up the small card I’d left with the roses. It simply said, “I love you.”

When her eyes lifted to meet mine they were shining with unshed tears. Her fist came up and covered her mouth and she shook her head. Ah, shit. I’d made her cry. That was not what I wanted to do.

“I can’t believe you got me a piano,” she breathed out as she dropped her fist from in front of her mouth.

“If you don’t want it we don’t have to keep it. I just thought that since you said—“

“You’re not taking my piano anywhere,” Eva interrupted me. A smile broke across her face and a small laugh fell from her lips. “You got me a piano,” she said shaking her head like she couldn’t quite comprehend it.

“You wanted one,” I replied.

Eva set the card back down on the piano and walked over to stand in front of me. She placed both her hands on my chest and stared up at my face. “Cage, I am going to want a lot of things but I don’t expect you to supply those things for me. What I want most is YOU. And I got YOU. Somehow, I snagged the famous playboy Cage York and I don’t intend to let him go.”

Smirking, I reached down and touched her bottom lip with the pad of my thumb. “So, you mean I didn’t have to buy that piano in order to bribe you to stay? Well, hell, baby. If I’d known that I could have saved myself a whole lotta money.”

Eva burst into laughter and slapped my chest. “Here I am trying to be sweet and you’re making fun of me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you wanted to be sweet. I got an idea, let’s go take a shower and you can let me taste and see just how sweet you are.”

“You aren’t gonna let me play with my piano first?” she asked, looking back longingly at her gift.

“I don’t mind tasting you on the piano. That’s good for me too. I bet you’d look awfully sexy spread out on that bench.”





Epilogue


“I talked to Jeremy today. He’s doing great at LSU and I think he met a girl. The majority of our conversation was about how smart she was and how funny she was and how pretty her hair was.” I laughed softly letting the autumn breeze carry my voice.

“He was there when I needed him. You would have been proud of how strong he was when inside I knew he was breaking apart. You always did say he was the tough one.”

I smiled thinking of the time they’d both gotten their wisdom teeth removed and Josh had been in bed for days in pain while Jeremy had gone on to football practice the very next day.

“The last time I was here I was a mess. You’d just shattered my world. I couldn’t imagine how I would take the next breath without you much less how I would live a lifetime alone. I didn’t understand your letter then. I didn’t think you understood the impact of what had happened. How you could tell me that life would go on and I needed to move on. It was unfathomable to me. You were my world, Josh. From the time I was a little girl until I was eighteen. Every memory I have growing up has you in it.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a letter I’d stayed up late last night writing. I couldn’t sleep because I knew I was coming back here today. I had so many things to say and I wanted to say them right.

“I wrote you a letter this time,” I explained.

Opening the stiff paper I’d torn from my notebook, I realized there were no tearstains on this letter. My tears were all dried up now. I’d found my peace.





Dear Josh,

Thank you for giving me the most amazing memories. My life growing up was so full because you were in it. Having your love and loving you was always just right. It made sense. You were my home. When I was with you I knew everything would be okay.

You dried my tears for me when I was sad. You held my hand when we buried my mother. You made me laugh when the world seemed like it was falling apart. You were every special memory a girl could have. That first kiss will forever be embedded in my brain. It was as funny as it was sweet.

Our life together molded me into the woman I’ve become. I understand what it feels like to be loved and cherished because I had that with you. I never doubted my worth because you taught me I was worthy.

When you said that one day I would heal I didn’t believe that was possible. Life couldn’t go one without my best friend. There was no room for another guy in my heart. It turns out you were right. You always were. I found him. He is incredible. He is nothing at all like I would have planned. He doesn’t fit into a perfect package. He managed to wiggle into my heart and take over before I knew what was happening. I found that happiness you told me would come along. I’m going to go live that life. I’m sure it will be a wilder ride than I ever imagined and I can’t wait to live it. He’s my home now. I’ll always love you. I’ll never forget you. But this is my goodbye. I wasn’t ready before to let you go. Now, I can move on. Your memory will live on in my heart always.