My pulse quickens when she meets my gaze, her eyes cutting through as if she can read my thoughts. That truck has too many memories, our memories. Enough has happened in therethat I’ll never get rid of it. I’m not that sentimental about most things, but that truck? That’s different.
I chuckle. “Yeah, we were certainly eager, never lacked passion for each other.”
Ella’s cheeks flush again. She looks away from me now and shakes her head. “No, we didn’t.”
The air between us starts to feel heavy as it closes in, as if we’re both remembering those nights that we got lost in each other. We were barely legal but too deep in love to care. I can still close my eyes and remember it all like it was yesterday.
Ella clears her throat. “Still never found that earring.” She laughs, trying to lighten the mood.
Her words hit me. I stare at her but don’t say anything. I hold up a finger to tell her to wait here and walk to my room. Grabbing a small plastic baggie buried in the back of my nightstand, I take it out to her.
Her face goes blank when she sees the missing earring inside. “Jesse, are you serious?”
“I found it shortly after we…” my voice trails off. The wordbreakupdoesn’t want to reach the air.
Her eyes soften almost as if she could cry. Neither one of us says anything. I can feel the weight of the past hanging between us, and I can’t help but wonder if she feels it too. Like this is about more than just an earring.
Chapter 7
Jesse
My group shot our limit of ducks this morning by 7:30 a.m. —that’s always a good day. I may or may not have taken them to one of my best spots. This afternoon I’ll take them to another spot and hopefully get the geese limit, and then whoever wants to go shoot pheasants later is going with Cody and Dad.
I’m skipping out because I texted Ella late last night and asked about going out for dinner. Thankfully, she was free tonight because tomorrow I can’t. I’ve gotta run these clients back to the airport after their last hunt. I’m starting to realize why Cody always follows and preaches about a no-dating rule during hunting season. It’s impossible to make plans because you never know how your day’s going to go, not to mention it’s exhausting and the last thing you feel like doing is going out. My bed is the only place I want to be after a long day.
After getting all the ducks gathered up for a few pictures with the hunters and dogs, we get cleaned up and head out. I get the guys back to the big house for lunch. Cody and Dad are just getting back as well with their group.
“Didn’t think it would be that good this morning,” Cody says, walking toward me.
“Yeah, especially where you went. Wasn’t it a swamp?”
He shrugs. “Not too bad.” Pointing to all three dogs covered in mud, he adds, “’Bout the same as you guys.”
I look back at them. You could almost mistake them all for chocolate labs they’re so muddy.
“I’m gonna get them cleaned up before we head out later so they can rest up. They’re beat,” I say.
“Ok. You coming in to eat first?”
I shake my head. “No, I wanna get some other things done, maybe take a nap.”
He lifts his chin at me. “You got plans tonight?” His words hold some weight; he’s testing me.
I scoff with a head shake. The one, and probably only, bad thing about living this close to your family is everyone knows your business. Whether you like it or not, it’s just how it is.
I shrug. “Something like that.”
“Please tell me you’re not getting back with Lexie.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Absolutely not.”
“But it’s a girl?” He pauses to think, pointing his finger at me when it hits him. “Ella?!”
“Shh!” I hiss.
“Seriously?!”
“Keep your voice down! If Addison catches wind, she won’t let me hear the end of it.”
