Ihaven’t gone inside yet. Evie isn’t who I need to talk to right now—her brother is. Everett and I haven’t spoken since I left, and it’s about time I make that right. What I feel for Evie is more than attraction. Seeing her fall, even though she didn’t really get hurt, is what it took to realize how much I care about her.
Watching her walk away helped, too.
I still have to talk to Evie about how I feel, but Everett comes first. I’ve been a piece of shit to him, and he doesn’t even know what’s going on.
The fresh air hits my nostrils as I pace around the backyard, waiting for him to answer the phone. A mountain of guilt rests on my shoulders, pushing me into the muddy ground.
“Do you know what time it is?” he asks groggily.
“No.” I chuckle and run my fingers through my hair. “Sorry. I don’t.”
I hadn’t even considered that I would be waking him up. I guess we can add it to the ever-growing list of things that make me an asshole.
“I hope everything is alright,” he says. “Is it Evie? Is she okay?”
“No, no. She’s great.”
“Liar. She texted me about the fall.”
“Ah.” I chuckle. “Other than that. It really wasn’t anything big. She has a few scrapes, but they’ll heal by the time she’s home.”
“Uh-huh.”
I can already feel myself wanting to chicken out—to put off the conversation and run away. If Everett is pissed about the fall, he’s going to be furious about what I have to say next.
“Maybe we should have this talk when you’re more awake,” I mutter.
“What?” Suddenly, he sounds alert. “Is it that serious?”
We don’t have serious conversations often. We’ve always been lighthearted friends, and aside from the times when he’s chewing me out and giving me unsolicited advice, we keep it that way.
What I’m starting to feel for Evie is something I should take seriously—and I do. I want him to know how sincere I am, too.
“I don’t know.” I tug my hair hard enough to pull out a few strands. “Maybe. It’s serious for me.”
His silence says more than words could.
“Don’t,” he utters. “Don’t tell me you and Evie?—”
Shit. Did Evie already tell him about our kiss? I should have considered that. My head swims, and regret falls over me all at once. I shouldn’t have called him, not without talking to her first. This was a bad idea.
“We haven’t done anything,” I say in a rush.
“Then what the fuck, man?” He groans. “What serious shit could you be calling me about at six in the morning?”
“Nothing has happened, but”—I cringe—“I have feelings for her. I don’t know what to do.”
“Mother fucker,” he grumbles.
I bite my tongue.
“Here’s what you do.” His voice is firm. “Nothing. You do nothing. You finish the trip, and you get my sister home. Do you understand?”
What else did I expect? Him giving me his blessing? Of course, he wants me to stay away from his sister. Even if this conversation isn’t what I wanted to hear, it’s exactly what I need—someone to ground me.
I press my lips together. “I know. You’re right.”
“Promise. Promise me you’ll stay away from her.”
