Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
THEO
One phone call with Everett makes it obvious that he wants me to stay away from Evie. That won’t be hard. She hasn’t texted me, and I’m not in the business of bothering people who want nothing to do with me, no matter how much I miss her.
Everett is right. I’m the problem. I should have changed something as soon as I started falling for Evie.
I could have found her another job, but I wanted to keep her close.
It’s easier to admit now that she’s gone.
Even her being in the next room over would be better than this. She’s alone, and she’s as hurt as I am.
I can’t be the one to comfort her, no matter how much I want to be.
Going into the woods is the only thing that brings me peace these days. The fresh, cool air and being surrounded by other people I care about grounds me, even if I know the hard feelings will return once I’m alone.
Nothing makes me happier than kneeling on the earth. I’m checking on a specific tree—the one we planted together—and it seems to be doing well, unlike Evie and me.
“Where is she?” someone asks.
I jump. It’s like someone read my mind—and the person in question is Heino, the forester we’ve been working with from the start. He’s a man of very few words. We speak about our work, about the forest, but it never goes further than that.
If he’s talking to me, it should be about the trees, but I know it’s not.
“Who?” I chuckle, pretending I don’t already know who he’s asking about. “Christine?”
“No.” He shakes his head and lowers his hand, likely indicating Evie’s smaller stature. “The one you’re always with, with the light hair.”
“Ah…” I nod, pressing my lips into a tight line. “Evie had to go home early.”
“Without you?”
“Um… yes.”
Out of everyone who should have suspicions about our relationship, this man is ridiculously low on the list. He doesn’t know either of us.
He doesn’t even know Evie’s name. He’s also the only one who may not have strong feelings about the relationship, but I still look around, worried someone else will hear.
“I miss her presence,” he says. “She didn’t always come, but she was like sunlight when she did.”
I guess I’m not the only one who looks at her that way. Huh. I never considered that other people could feel her warmth—it always felt like it was for me.
Tears prick at my eyes, but I smile through the pain. “I miss it too.”
“Then you should go get her.” His eyes sharpen. “Why are you still here?”
“What?” I startle, taking a step back. “She doesn’t want me to.”
“How do you know?”
“How do you know?” I throw the question back at him, laughing—equally bitter and confused. Why is this man, someone I’ve only ever talked to about forestry, prying into my private life? He shouldn’t know what Evie means to me…
Christine shouldn’t have known, but it only took her a few days to realize what was happening. I guess we really are that obvious.
Heino lifts a shoulder. “You’ve all been doing my job. I have nothing to do but watch, and I saw how she looked at you. You looked at her like that, too. I know what love looks like.”
Through tears, I laugh, shaking my head.
Even this man, someone I only know professionally, can see what Evie is to me. He can see without knowing how much we care about each other. It doesn’t matter. I could have done something before, but it’s too late now.
I accept my fate. It’s the same fate I’ve always known—being alone. My work is my greatest love, and it feels worth it when I’m in the forest. I only question my priorities when I’m alone again.
I’m leaving two days early—just two days.
That’s how I reason with myself as I hop off the plane. It’s too late to take it back. Christine can take care of everything in the woods. It’s the least she can do for me after the shit show she put me through.
This is the first time I’ve ended the annual retreat early. Others come and go, depending on their work schedule, but I usually stay the whole time. It’s for me as much as it is for the planet and company.
There’s one thing I love more than being in nature—one person—and it’s time to make it right.
There’s more I could have done to protect my relationship with Evie, but sometimes, it’s easier to blame Christine. When I’m jet-lagged, exhausted, and badly need a shave… it’s especially easy. The last thing I want to do is look in the mirror, metaphorical or otherwise.
My body is begging for a bed, but it’s a plea I ignore as I slide into my ride.
“You’re going to Evergreen Surf Shop?” the driver asks.
I nod.
“Huh. You got business there?”
“Something like that.”
“Kind of weird to be heading there fresh off the plane, but I get it. Surfers are passionate about their craft. I once knew a guy…”
The driver is the chatty type, and usually, I would be happy to talk to him. It makes the shift pass quicker for him. The words don’t come today. All I can think of is the next conversation—the one I’ll be having with Everett.
His surf shop isn’t the only one in the area, not by far, but there’s no denying it’s a popular spot. Bodies bustle about, looking at the branded T-shirts, wetsuits, and boards. They’re all brightly colored, just like Everett tends to be, but none of them capture my attention.
That’s not the kind of business I have here.
I drag my weary feet to the man behind the desk, ignoring the people in line. “We have to talk.”
Everett lifts a brow. “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon. Did you come to my workplace, so I don’t punch you in the face?”
“You wouldn’t.” Even if I deserve it. “You’ve had plenty of opportunities in the past and never did.”
“My sister wasn’t the one you were hurting back then.” He smiles at the customer as if they aren’t hearing a gruesome conversation and passes him his change. “Have a good day. See you next week for your first lesson.”
It’s clear Everett doesn’t care about losing business, and his demographic doesn’t care any more than he does.
The customer takes his change, looking impressed, brows lifted as he turns to leave.
I almost envy it, not having to worry about his reputation, but I know that wasn’t always the case.
He was an athlete at one point, and that life is never lived without scandal.
“This is bad for business,” I say.
“You’re telling me.” He sighs and walks away, looking back at his employee. “I’ll be back. This should only take five minutes.”
“Don’t slug him too hard!” The employee—a vibrant young woman—calls after us.
My shoulders slump. I follow Everett to his office—tidier than his bedroom, if only because he doesn’t spend much time here. I’ve heard him call the world his office before and seen him take his laptop onto the beach.
I can’t imagine how much sand there is in his keyboard.
“What are you doing here, Theo?” Once we’re alone, he looks at me with a somber expression. “I didn’t think you would want to talk to me—”
“I need your blessing.” The words fall from my lips gracelessly, and my face flushes. It’s not exactly what I meant to say, but it works.
“What?” he laughs out loud. “Don’t say it like that. Jesus. I’m not her father.”
I clear my throat, attempting to recover. “I’m saying it like it is. Evie and I can’t reconcile unless you approve of us.”
“You can’t be serious. Evie hasn’t left her bed in days, man. Why would I give you my blessing? Do you think I like seeing my sister like that?”
“I don’t like it either! I don’t want to make her feel like that.” I swallow, but my throat is dry—dehydration from the plane, or just nerves. “What I want is to fix this, but I can’t even try if you’re going to get in the way.”
“Never said I would get in the way. She’s old enough to make her own decisions.”
“Then why are you so mad at me?”
He throws his hands in the air. “Because you didn’t tell me! Neither of you told me. The last I knew, you promised to stay away from her.”
“I tried. Really, I did.”
“What made you fail? Huh?”
“You know what.” My jaw tenses. “I’ve never met someone I care about, not the way I care for her. I care for my friends, like you, and my employees. I take pride in the work I do. Feelings for others have always been fleeting, but I never cared enough to choose them over work. I would for Evie.”
“Doubt it.”
“If they asked me to choose her or my job, I would pick her—every time. I’d give it all up. She never gave me that choice.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” He rolls his eyes and groans. “None of that matters. Evie wouldn’t want that. She’s as driven as you are.”
“I know that.”
“And actions speak louder than words.” He lifts a brow. “I’m not the one you have to prove yourself to, but if you think you’re worthy of her… prove it. This is her choice.” He jabs a finger in my chest, more gently than I expect. “And don’t you ever make her cry again.”
It may be as close to a blessing as I’ll get.
I smile sadly. “I’ll do my best.”