“No, it’s fine.” I clear my throat. “We’ll be having lunch. Not sure where though. It’s Grady’s pick.” I check my watch. “We should go.” I pick up my house keys off the table and put them along with my cell into my jeans pocket. “I thought we could walk along the beach to Grady’s?”
“Sounds great.”
I lock up the back door and follow her down the steps to the beach.
I watch her gaze catch and linger on the rock she used to sit on to sketch. It was the first place I saw her, the first place we talked, the place where I fell in love with her.
I’m moving closer to her without even realizing I’m doing it.
Her hair blows in the breeze, brushing against my chest. I breathe in her scent. She smells of everything that once represented happiness to me.
Standing here with her reminds me of the times we would just stand out on the beach together with my arms wrapped around her from behind, her scent in my nose, our toes buried in the sand. We’d watch the sunset and listen to the waves crashing in against the sand.
“It still looks the same,” she says softly. “Like no time has passed at all, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, my eyes fixed on her.
Being here with her, it could almost be like nothing has changed. It’s ten years ago, and we’re still in love. No anger, no pain, no hate. Just her and me.
She turns to face me, and the past is written all over her face.
And it hurts so very badly. Because I know what the reality is, and it isn’t happy. That’s for sure.
“Let’s go.” I turn away and start walking down the beach toward Grady’s.
It doesn’t take us long to reach the Shack. The walk was a little tense but not as tense as the car journey here. Maybe the sea air is loosening us up a bit. That, and the fact that I know Grady will be with us soon, and he will monopolize all of her attention makes me feel a little better.
When we arrive, I open the door, letting Evie in first, and see that the shop is busy.
Grady is behind the counter. The second he sees her, his face lights up. He’s around that counter and sweeping her up into his arms in seconds.
“Look at you!” he says to her. “You look exactly the same. Still as beautiful as ever. God, I have missed you, Evie Girl.”
“Missed you, too,” she says in an almost whisper, as he lowers her to her feet.
I can see tears glistening her eyes. I didn’t think about how hard coming back here might be for her.
I was only thinking about how hard it would be for me.
Base comes out of the stock room, and he immediately spots her. “Holy fuck! Evie Taylor!” He charges at her like a bull and sweeps her up off her feet.
My body stiffens, and I have the sudden urge to take his head off his shoulders. I don’t care how big he is.
“Grady said you were back, and you’d be coming in today. But I wasn’t believing that shit until I saw you, and here you are,” Base says to her.
His face is right in hers, his hands still on her. I can feel my muscles bunching up.
“Yep. Here I am.” She gives him a weak smile.
“You here to stay?”
She shakes her head. “Just the weekend. But I only live fifty minutes away, up in Culver City, so I can visit anytime.”
Visit him without me. Over my dead body.
I don’t mind Base. He’s a cool guy, but I won’t hesitate in busting up his face if he doesn’t stop touching what’s mine.
Mine?
But that’s just it. Evie isn’t mine, and she hasn’t been for a long time.
“Fucking A!” Base yells, hugging her again.
I swear to God, mine or not, if he doesn’t get his fucking hands off her, I’m going to—
“How are you doing over here?” Grady steps up beside me.
“I’m good,” I answer through gritted teeth.
“So, you’re sleeping with Evie again,” he says in a lowered voice.
What the hell?
My eyes flick to his. I hold his stare for a long moment, mine challenging him, but he doesn’t back down.
I look away and let out a sigh. “Yeah, I am.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“No, not really.”
“Look, I don’t want to interfere because that’s not my bag, but you’ve become like a son to me over the years, and I love Evie a whole lot. I don’t want either of you getting hurt. I know how bad things were for you after she left. I don’t want you going back there. And things like this usually end up going only one way—south.”
My chest is tight again. It happens every time Grady calls me son. It’s the same when Richard calls me it, too.
I’ve either got serious daddy issues, or I’m heading for a heart attack. And the way I’ve been feeling around Evie lately, I’m thinking it might be the latter.
“Neither do I.” I meet his eyes. Then, I look back at Evie. “So, how did you know that I was sleeping with her, old man?” Subtly has never been my specialty, but I didn’t think I was doing anything outwardly obvious.
He lets out a laugh. “I might be old, but I’m not fucking blind. You haven’t taken your eyes off her since you walked through the door, and right now, you look like you’re about to rip Base’s head off at any second.”
“Yeah, well, he’s being a handsy motherfucker, and he needs to be taught some manners.” I scowl over at Base.
He’s finally taken his hands off Evie, but he’s got her attention, talking to her about something that requires him to move his hands a lot, and she’s laughing at whatever it is he’s saying.
She’s laughing.
My chest starts to ache again.
I haven’t heard her laugh once since she came back. Now that I think about it, I definitely haven’t seen a real smile from her. I’ve seen plenty of forced smiles, fake smiles…and sad smiles but not the real thing.
And right now, she’s smiling and laughing with him, and I’m jealous.
Yeah, I’m that guy.
Because I want to be the one to make her laugh and smile.
But then I’d actually have to be a human being to her to get her to even smile at me, and being human around Evie feels like a huge task that I don’t know I can manage.
I know if I want that from her, then something has to change. And I have to be the one to make that change.
I just don’t know if I can—or if it’s even a good idea.
“Take it easy, son. He hasn’t seen her in a long time, and he’s just happy to see her. That’s all. And I can’t have you fighting in my store. My insurance won’t cover it.”
“I have my checkbook with me.” I give him a slow grin.
“Funny. Now, come on, let’s pry your girl away from Base, so I can take you both to lunch.”
We take our seats at Plate—me next to Evie, Grady sitting across from her. I was surprised when Grady said we were eating here. He’s more of a pizza-and-beer kind of guy than healthy organic food.
“So, you going healthy on me, old man?” I say, grinning over my menu at him.
“No, you’re paying, and this place is pretty pricey. I always wanted to try it.” He smirks at me. “And the doc did tell me to cut back on the fatty foods, so I figured that spending your money and eating healthy is a win-win for me.”
“Doctor?” My alert goes up a notch. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, kid. Just a checkup. The doc has been telling me to lay off the fatty food and beer for years. I haven’t, and I’m still good, still out surfing every day.”
I stare at him for a long moment. Nerves twisting in my gut.
“So, what can I get everyone to drink?” the waitress asks, appearing out of nowhere.
“Beer for me,” Grady says.
I raise a brow at him.
“I said, cutting back, not giving up.”
“Sparkling water for me,” Evie says.
“Same for me,” I say.
“So, Evie Girl”—Grady leans over the table toward Evie and takes her hand as he looks her in the eyes—“I want to hear all about what you’ve been doing since I last saw you. How are your dad and young Casey?”