Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“It’s not just me, Eve.”
I shrugged. “Josh loves me. Anne and Fred thought he loved them, but last night, it was me who he wanted when you couldn’t put him to bed. You don’t have an issue with kicking your family out. So what is it? My family? The teachers at the school? Are you secretly embarrassed to be with me? I get it. I’m ten years younger. Devil’s Head thrives on gossip. Just stop lying to me.”
“Fine. Tell them about us when they come back downstairs,” he said.
“Me?” I narrowed my eyes. “Why me?”
“Because you want everyone to know. So tell them.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and tipped my chin up. “Fine. I will.”
“Okay,” he said, turning to fill a mug with coffee.
My confidence felt overinflated, like at any moment, it could pop and vanish into nothing.
“Eve!” Josh ran toward me in his dinosaur jammies.
“Morning, cutie.” I hugged him just as Fred and Anne reached the bottom of the stairs with their bags.
Gulp.
“Well, we’re taking off,” Fred announced.
My gaze shot to Kyle. He sipped his coffee with his backside leaning against the counter.
“Bye, honey. Take care of yourself, and don’t be too prideful to call if you need anything,” Anne said, giving Kyle a side hug.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Love you, brother.” Fred gave him the same awkward one-arm hug.
“Love you too,” Kyle replied. “Oh, Eve has something she wants to tell you.”
My heart slammed against my rib cage, and my mouth dried up like a late July drought.
Fred and Anne looked at me expectantly while Josh hugged Kyle.
It was a test. He didn’t think I’d tell them. But what if I did? Would he admit that he loved me too?
I had the chance to build the fence. Be brave. Risk everything for love like my sister Sarah did. But she knew she had someone’s love. Kyle hadn’t given me that. So I stood among his family with my heart on the verge of being exposed, open for anyone to step on it.
And that pissed me off.
He needed to love me more.
More than his need to avoid a scandal.
More than his need to appease my father.
More than I loved him.
Grandma Bonnie told me to find a man who I loved with my whole heart but who loved me just a little bit more.
He had my entire heart, but I didn’t know if I had a single beat of his.
I cleared my throat. “I wanted to thank you for the kind things you’ve said about me, for trusting me with Josh, and for keeping me in the loop after Kyle’s accident.”
They smiled. Kyle dropped his gaze to the floor, lips twisted, as Josh rummaged through the cabinet for a cereal box.
“You’re welcome. We’ll call to check in when we get to our next stop,” Fred said, and they headed to the front door.
Kyle gently pushed off the counter to follow them.
Tears filled my eyes, and I quickly blinked them back. I was so scared of loving him too much and losing my heart to someone who didn’t know if he wanted it.
He stopped on his way to the door and inspected me while I curled my lips between my teeth to keep them from quivering, but I kept my gaze on him, wishing he could see and feel everything I wanted to say.
“Baby,” he whispered. “I only have one good arm, but I’ll carry you.”
Emotions beyond anything I had ever experienced bubbled over, and I blinked an endless stream of tears.
He stepped past me as I frantically wiped my face before Josh saw me crying.
“I love her,” Kyle said.
I couldn’t turn around because the tears wouldn’t stop. My heart swelled into my throat, making it impossible to breathe.
“Sorry, what?” Anne said casually, as though she really didn’t hear him.
“I’m in love with Eve.”
Josh, bless his heart, padded into the living room, turned on cartoons, and sat on the sofa with an open cereal box. He was oblivious to the epic confession ten feet behind me at the front door.
Fred released a nervous chuckle. “What are you talking about? Eve … as in Eve behind you? Is this a joke?”
“It’s not a joke. It just happened. Chemistry. Kismet. Fate. God’s will. Whatever. Eve is generous. Funny and nurturing. She has a young and wild heart with an old soul. To know her really is to love her. And the joy she brings to both Josh and me is immeasurable. Maybe I don’t know where this is going, and I haven’t said anything to her family yet, but she deserves a bold, selfless love. And if I’m honest, my feelings for her can’t be contained any longer. So if you have a problem with this, then you don’t know me, and you certainly don’t know Eve. But I know she’s worthy of the very best in life, and I think I’m at least worthy of a little luck.”