Back when Evie first left, I did think that it could have been Ava’s doing. Of course, when I asked her, she denied all knowledge.
But, then, what could Ava have done or given to Evie to make her leave? To make them all leave?
Money?
It’s hard to believe that because Evie was never about money. If it were money, then I’m glad she left because she wouldn’t have been the person I thought I loved.
But, then, it’s not like she has money now. If she had money, then, she wouldn’t be working in a coffee shop.
Sometimes though, I feel like there’s a voice whispering the answer in the back of my mind, just slightly out of my reach.
Grady stares out over the water. “You know, you might never get the answers you want.”
I huff out a breath. Opening my fist, I let the grains run through my fingers. “Yeah, I know.”
“And did you…tell Evie?”
Grady is the only person who knows my secret. And the only reason he knows is because it was not long after I got back from Boston. I just bought the house. It was what would have been my and Evie’s third wedding anniversary. I got drunk off my ass, and I broke down and told him the truth.
Meeting his eyes, I shake my head.
“Fucking hell, Adam.” He sighs.
“Don’t give me shit, Grady. She turned up out of the blue after ten years. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight.”
“That might be, but you’re thinking straight now. She might have left you, but this isn’t something you can keep to yourself. She has a right to know.”
Bowing my head, I run a hand through my hair. “I know.”
I’m just not sure how to tell her.
“You’re actually ditching me to go surfing with this chick?” Max complains from the living room.
“Stop being a whiny bitch. It’s just today. And we’ll probably see you down there anyway.” I get the orange juice out of the fridge and pour myself a glass.
“Yeah? When? In between you both sucking face?”
I let out a laugh. Walking over to the breakfast bar, I lean my stomach against it. “Jealous much? And you were the one who told me to ask her out.”
He rolls his eyes at me from his spot on the sofa. “Yeah, but I thought you’d just bang her and move on. That’s what you normally do.”
“Not this time.”
Max sits up, a look of shock on his face. “Holy shit. You haven’t fucked her, have you?”
I shake my head before taking a drink of my orange juice. “She’s only seventeen. And anyway, it’s not like that.”
“Not like what exactly?” He gives me a suspicious look.
I lift a shoulder, unable to explain it or anything about what I’m feeling for Evie. “I don’t know. She’s just…different.” I turn from him, putting my glass in the sink.
“Holy fuck. You like her. You want to play boyfriend and girlfriend with her.”
“Shut the fuck up. What are you? Five?” I walk from the kitchen to the living room, grabbing a hair tie off the coffee table, and I tie my hair back.
Ignoring me, he laughs. “I get that she’s hot—really hot, in fact—but I never thought I’d see the day when Adam Gunner got *-whipped.”
“Yeah, and if you want to see another day, then you won’t call her hot again, assface.”
“Touch a nerve, did I?”
Bastard’s winding me up, and I’m totally biting.
Why am I biting? He does this all the time, and I never bite.
“No. She’s just not hot to you.” I narrow my gaze on him.
“Don’t worry, * boy. I don’t want to go near her if she’s managed to voodoo you into breaking your cardinal rule of one night only. I don’t want any of that relationship shit.” He flicks a hand at me.
“She hasn’t voodooed me, you idiot. And we’re not in a relationship. We’ve been on one date.”
“About to go on your second date, the very next morning after your first date. Like I said, relationship.”
Shaking my head, I laugh at him and head for the front door. “See you later, fuckface.”
“Later, Evie’s bitch.”