They made their way through the line, and as they waited for their food, Evan kicked the sand with the toe of his flip-flop. “Sorry I made you leave the beach.”
“It’s okay. I was getting hot anyway.” She was struck not only by the sincerity in his voice, but by the fact that he was apologizing again. That was pretty unusual for a teenager, and she knew that was a testament to how Caden had raised him.
She hoped Evan might reveal his reasons for leaving, and again it was torture having to refrain from asking. She was so used to saying what she felt that it took extra effort to navigate this touch-and-go conversation. She wasn’t Evan’s friend or his teacher. She was his father’s girlfriend, and her heart was tied to both Caden and Evan. She didn’t want to make a mistake that might alienate her from Evan, or make him uncomfortable, but her gut told her not to completely ignore what she’d noticed, either.
They picked up their food and decided to sit on the knee-high wall at the edge of the parking lot by the marina, with their trays balanced on their knees.
“Are you excited to start school in the fall?”
“Sort of, I guess.” He took a bite of his burger. “I’m looking forward to the technology club more than school. School kinda bites.” He smiled. “Crap, you’re a teacher. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Hopefully, I’ll be teaching again.”
“What do you mean hopefully? I thought you were teaching?”
“I was a teacher in Connecticut, but the program I’m putting together has to be accepted before I can get a full-time job here.”
“In Connecticut? I thought you lived here.” Evan set his burger on the tray. “You don’t live here?”
“It’s a little complicated. If the work-study program is accepted, I’ll probably move here full-time.”
Evan’s voice grew serious. “So, if the program isn’t accepted, will you go back to Connecticut?”
Bella shrugged. “I haven’t decided yet. I do have a job offer there, but there’s a lot to consider.” Like where your dad and I are heading.
“But…” He turned away. The wind whipped his hair away from his face. He looked at Bella, and she couldn’t miss the concern in his eyes. “Does Dad know you might move back to Connecticut?”
“Sure. He knows it’s a possibility.” They hadn’t discussed it in very much detail, but they’d touched on it as a possibility. Against her plan, and against what she’d promised herself, she couldn’t deny that the idea of leaving Caden made her stomach hurt.
Evan shook his head. “So you might move away?”
“Well, I hope not, but it’s a possibility, I guess.”
He got up and carried his tray back to the restaurant. She followed, and after they returned their trays, she tried to get his mind onto something else.
“Do you want to walk the pier?” she asked.
“Nah. Can you take me home?” He shoved his hands in his swimsuit pockets.
“Sure, but, Evan, I don’t want you to think that I’m moving. At least that’s not my plan.” My plan. Meeting Caden hadn’t been part of her plan either, and it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
“If there’s one thing I learned this year, it’s that life doesn’t always go by what we have planned.” He stalked into the parking lot.
Bella couldn’t have agreed more.
WHEN CADEN’S SHIFT ended, he checked in with Evan and then stopped by Bella’s. She and Amy were sitting by the pool even though it was dusk. Bella’s laughter filled the air. He loved her laugh, whether she was laughing raucously at a joke or flirtatiously against his neck when they were intimate. Both made him warm all over. The gate to the pool creaked as he pulled it open, drawing Bella’s attention. Her smile lit up her eyes, and when she jumped up to greet him, he knew he looked just as happy. He waved to Amy, and after waving back, she crossed her arms on the table and rested her head on them.
Bella fell into his arms and lifted her eyes to his. Man, had he missed her.
“Hey,” she said in a soft voice.
“Hey yourself.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Is Amy okay?”
“Yeah. Just nursing a terrible hangover. Luckily, she has no memory of Tony being there when she threw up, so at least she’s not embarrassed on top of it.”
“A hangover? Ouch. I’m sorry.” He glanced at Amy and wondered how different it must be for Bella when she was in Connecticut. Did she have friends she was close to there, too? “Thanks for taking Evan out today. He said he had a great time.”
“Yeah, we did. Did he say anything about practically running off the beach to avoid seeing his friends?”
“No.” Caden thought about Evan’s recent snappy and sullen behavior. “He probably didn’t want them to see him with you. You know, the whole teenage independence thing. I have tomorrow off, and I asked him if he wanted to go to that go-cart and batting cage place in South Yarmouth. When we first moved here, he loved it. But he had no interest in that either.”
“I hope you’re right, but maybe you can find a way to talk about it without telling him that I mentioned it? He seemed a little stressed.”
“Okay, I will.” She felt so good in his arms, and she smelled like the ocean. He wanted to spend the evening with her. They could go for a walk, then watch a movie, rub each other’s feet, or read on the couch. He didn’t care what they did. He only knew that nothing felt right without her by his side.
“I was hoping we could go for a walk or something, but it looks like Amy needs you, so can I call you later?”
Bella glanced over her shoulder at Amy. “I’m sorry. Thank you for understanding. It isn’t often that she needs me, but she’s feeling a little down today. She never drinks—well, none of us do, really, except when we’re here on vacation, but Amy is a super lightweight. She’s, like, pixie light, and she drank like she was a heavyweight.”
“Don’t be sorry.” When they kissed again, it was painful to break away. “I hate not being with you every night. It feels like you should always be right there with me.”
“I feel that way, too.” She glanced at Amy. “You could stay if you want.”
“That’s okay. Enjoy your time with Amy. You don’t get much of it when you’re apart for nine months out of the year. Besides, I had Evan time the other night; you should have girl time.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
He touched his forehead to hers. “Babe, I’d do anything for you. Since I’m off work tomorrow, do you want to do something?” He could spend every minute with Bella and it wouldn’t be enough.
Her lips curved down in an adorable frown, but the ache it caused wasn’t cute at all.
“I have meetings scheduled with a few companies, but afterward, definitely.”
“Definitely.” He pulled her close again. “Call me when you’re done and we’ll figure it out.” He looked back at his truck, knowing he should leave, but every part of him wanted to stay. He forced himself to take a step back, but he kept hold of her hand. Even the short distance between them felt too far apart.