Reese looked at me with suspicion at first, then nodded. But when he glanced at Nash, his face fell.
Because Nash looked every bit the Secret Service agent that he was. I could even see his gun peeking out beneath his jacket from the gun holster over his shoulder.
God, I’d been so fucking close.
“I’ll wait out here, Mr. President,” Nash said.
He looked at Reese and said, “I trust you’ll let me know if anything looks suspicious when you get in there.”
Reese was as caught off guard as me, but he nodded.
“You have my cell phone number?” Nash asked.
“Gage gave it to me when I first arrived at the house… in case of an emergency,” Reese murmured. To me he said, “We should go in. I don’t want to be late.”
I nodded and quickly went to the trunk to grab the sunglassesand baseball cap. Reese had already started to head for the building, so I was free to quietly say, “Thank you,” to Nash.
“Go get ‘em, baby,” Nash said so softly that I almost didn’t hear him. He sent me a smile and then got back in the car, presumably to move it to a parking space. I hurried to catch up to my son.
Chapter 28
GAGE
Anxiety curledthrough my belly as I quickly trotted down the stairs and across the driveway toward the guest house. I’d been waiting for Nash and Everett to come to the main house at some point during the last hour, but there hadn’t been a peep from them after they’d all arrived back from Reese’s physical therapy appointment. I’d thought maybe something had happened between Reese and Everett when Everett didn’t come into the house with his son, but Reese had said his father was fine and that he’d just gone to lie down for a bit before dinner. He’d even told me that Everett had watched his physical therapy session. I’d wanted to rush to the guest house then and there, because Everett had to have been bouncing off the walls with excitement that his son had allowed that, but I’d managed to refrain from reacting to the comment.
I’d had to bide my time so it wouldn’t look too suspicious, so I’d spent the last hour helping Charlie cook dinner while my father graded mid-terms. Reese had been understandably tired, so he’d gone to lie down too.
After putting the food Charlie and I had made into the oven to keep it warm, I’d told Charlie to set the table while I went to getEverett and Nash. Still high from her successful first recital solo, she’d happily agreed.
The guest house was quiet as I walked in, but I saw my men right away.
And I knew it was bad.
I didn’t even know whatitwas, but it was definitely bad.
Both men were sitting on the couch, but on opposite ends. Everett was rocking back and forth, and Nash had his elbows on his knees and his hands were cradling his head.
Panic exploded inside of me, because I knew this was the moment… the one I’d been dreading ever since the first night we’d all made love for the first time.
“What happened?” I asked.
Everett began shaking his head. I moved closer to him and saw that tears were streaking down his cheeks. Nash was just staring at the ground, his expression haunted. I dropped to my knees in front of Everett, because I knew whatever was happening revolved around him.
“Baby, what happened?” I asked as I put my hands on his knees.
“Can’t,” he whispered. “Can’t do it anymore.”
I knew what he was talking about, of course.
“Why? Did something happen? Reese seemed good when you got back?—”
“He apologized to me, Gage. He fucking apologized to me,” Everett croaked. “Said he was sorry for the way he treated me at the hospital and when he first got here.” Everett shoved my hands away and climbed to his feet. The move tore at something inside of me. It was like he couldn’t stand my touch.
“He said he was glad I was here… that it meant a lot to him that I stayed, even after the way he treated me. Then he thanked me!” Everett bit out as he went to stand on the other side of the couch. Like it was an adequate barrier to keep us apart.
“I’ve been lying to him this whole time!” Everett shouted. “We both have! And yet he’s the one… he’s the one saying he’s sorry! I ruined his life and he’s the one who’s apologizing! To me!”
I knew Everett was close to losing it. I got up and strode aroundthe couch. I didn’t stop or even slow down when Everett began backing away from me. His back hit the wall behind him – the same wall I’d first seen Nash kissing him up against, what now seemed like a lifetime ago.
