“Hey, Ms. Carter,” I start. I think she’s gonna ignore me and keep walking. She doesn’t stop, but she slows down. “I just wanted you to know, I love Nate.”
She stops at that. Takes a deep breath and fixes me in her stare.
“I don’t have anything against you, Evan,” she says, her shoulders sagging. “I understand you and your family have had a hard time of things since your dad got sick. Joe was a good man, he was always there for me and Nate after his dad walked out. And I know you two have an intense … bond. I just worry that you’re both trying to hold onto something out of nostalgia.”
“It’s not nostalgia.” I shake my head. “We’ve changed. And yeah, I was in love with Nate when we were younger, but I fell in love with him all over again the second time we met.”
“You’re both still so young.”
“I know that. But I can promise you something—I’d rather die than do anything to hurt Nate.”
“And his wrist?”
I flinch. “Believe me, if I could have stopped that from happening, I would have. But we should both know that Nate’s capable of getting hurt or getting into trouble with or without me. We can’t wrap him up in cotton wool. He’s a grown-ass man. Pardon the curse.”
The smallest of smiles twitches on her lips.
“I’m not as bad as people think,” I say, actually believing it. Nate must have worn me down. “I don’t know why people always assume the worst of me, but I don’t want trouble. Never have.”
She shrugs. “Trouble just has a way of finding some people.”
I snort. “That’s the truth.”
She looks away, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I love him, I’m not gonna hurt him. Ever.”
There’s a silence that seems to go on forever before she speaks again. “You took the blame for that stupid stunt back then.”
It’s not a question so I don’t say anything. I have to stop myself from flinching when she reaches her hand toward me before letting it settle on my shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “I believe you.”
“Hey, everythingokay?” We both turn to find Nate staring at us, wide-eyed.
“Everything’s fine, honey,” his mom says. I smile and nod my agreement, watching relief wash over his face.
“I just wanted to see if we’re ordering dessert.”
“Sure, why not?” His ma says with a smile.
When we get back to the table, Stacie’s telling Bryce about hockey and he’s talking about someone he knows who can put her in touch with the recruitment office of three different Ivy League schools. I smile to myself and shake my head. I’m about to make a joke about Nate’s nepotism rubbing off on us when he jumps in.
“She doesn’t need your contacts Bryce,” he says with a smirk. “By the time she goes to college, mine and Ben’s awesome tennis platform might have expanded to other sports. We’ll be able to put her in touch with pro coaches and trainers from around the world, and help her apply for scholarships with all the top schools.”
Bryce chuckles as he balls his napkin up and tosses it onto the table. “Save the sales pitch for your investors.”
Nate laughs, his green eyes with the brown flecks glistening under the ambient lighting. I watch his pretty hands on the table, spreading the dessert menu out. The way he licks his lips as he reads through the list of cakes and ice creams. Something lurches in my chest at the sudden, devastating knowledge that this is the person I’ve loved all my life. And that nothing in the world will ever change that.
He turns, as if feeling a heat on the side of his face from the intensity of my stare. A blush appearing on his cheeks when he catches me looking.
“What?” he asks. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No,” I laugh, taking his hand, threading my fingersthrough his. I catch our moms both looking at us with sly smiles.
He leans over and kisses me.
“Eww, gross, get a room!”
We pull apart so I can flick Stacie for ruining the moment.
