Chapter 15
Jake
My poker game is shit.
I’ve lost seven hands in a row to Grayson, Tucker, Holden, and the card shark herself, my Gran. The only person playing even worse than me is Tucker, which isn’t fucking surprising.
I’m off my game. And I know exactly why.
It has been almost two weeks since I kissed Everly. Two weeks of one-word text responses, quiet walks home after she works a night shift, and nothing more.
Everly is ignoring me.
And I fucking hate it.
I scratch my fingers through my beard, which is longer than usual. I’m a fucking idiot. I knew it was too soon to kiss her, but I did it anyway. Sitting so close to her after such a great evening together, my willpower was non-existent. And the kiss was perfect. It was perfect, wasn’t it? It felt that way to me.
It was obviously too much too soon though. Everly made that pretty clear when she reminded me right afterwards that we could never be more than friends. I had every intention of going slow, but my resolve crumbled. Dammit.
It’s been so long since a woman has made me feel this way. Jade was my only serious relationship. Since we broke up, there has been no one. It has been me and my hand for a while, except for one or two flings that aren’t worth remembering.
But that day at the beach with Everly changed everything. I don’t know why, but everything with her feels right. Jacking off to images of her in my mind was working in the beginning for a while until that night we had dinner at her house.
That night I wanted more. And now things between us are more complicated than ever. But I’m not giving up on us. I just need to figure out what I need to do.
“Maybe when you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you’ll get the hang of it,” Gran says matter-of-factly, knocking me from my thoughts. She stacks the pile of chips she just won on the table in front of her as Tucker groans and drops his head in his hands.
“Listen, you’re lucky we even let you sit at the table with us,” Grayson teases him. “Watch and learn from this woman right here. She’s the GOAT of poker. She could teach you a few things.”
Sierra planned this little dinner party for Gran tonight at her house, knowing that she was missing Haven Harbor and the boys after moving into her assisted facility home. Truth be told, they’ve missed her too.
“It sure smells good in that kitchen,” Gran says from behind her cards. “I swear the cook at my place hates us all. You should see what he tried to get us to eat the other night.”
“How bad could it be?” Tucker asks, throwing down a pair of kings.
“I don’t even know. But the meat was green,” she insists.
“Okay, that sounds terrible,” Tuck says. “I’m busting you out of there next week and taking you to McDonald’s.”
Gran’s eyes light up at the mention of the golden arches. She would eat three meals a day at McDick’s if she could. Sierra and I take her there for lunch every year on her birthday.
“What else, Gran? You tell me what else is wrong and me and the guys will go down there and have a word with them.”
“We’re not the fucking mafia,” I grumble. An image of me and the guys showing up in suits and gold chains pops into my head. Gran shoots me a glare. She has zero tolerance for cursing. “Sorry, Gran. My bad with the language.”
“Now then. Since you asked,” she says, turning towards Tucker. “My neighbor, Malcolm, next door likes to talk dirty. Says he knows how to work it.”
“What! Whoa, Gran, this is TMI. I can’t deal,” I say, shaking my head. “For the love of everything, please stop.”
She heaves out a breath. “I’m not dead, Jake. I still like the company of a man. But Malcolm comes on too strong. I don’t really believe him. He’s on the list for a hip replacement. How good could he really be?”
She shrugs her shoulders before laying down a royal flush. She reaches for the pot, sliding the mound of chips into her chest before reapplying her lipstick. “Be a doll, Jakey, and grab my sweater from the couch. All this winning is making me chilly.”
Laughing, I stand to retrieve her cardigan. I stop when my eyes land on the framed family photo sitting on the mantel. My dad has his arms around my mom’s waist, smile wide. My mom gazes down at Sierra, who’s wearing a bright pink bathing suit. I’m standing next to my dad, my hands stuffed in the pockets of my board shorts, my expression serious. I remember the day it was taken. The beach was my mom’s happy place, she could walk for hours along the sand, the tide rolling gently at her feet. That’s partly why I love it too, I always think of her when I’m there.
Grief slams into me like a tsunami. It’s been 15 years, but the loss of my parents is a pain that never goes away. My chest tightens. Grief is a wound. Over time it heals, but it leaves a scar. I was just a kid when my parents died in that fire; in the blink of an eye, our world changed, never to be the same again. I miss them.
Returning to the table with Gran’s sweater, I see Sierra walking into the living room with drinks for us all. Grayson stands as soon as he sees her, and I don’t miss the way his eyes are all over her as he takes the tray from her hands. I feel my jaw clench.
We’ve been here for an hour, and I’ve been acutely aware of how Grayson and my sister have been acting around each other the entire time. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed it since Sierra’s return to Reed Point. I even confronted Grayson about it once, but he denied there’s anything going on between them. And I trust him. Besides, he knows that if he tried to touch her, I’d rip his arms then his legs off and then find a creative way to dispose of his body.
I keep my eyes on them, pushing back my chair to stand as Grayson follows my sister into the kitchen, offering to help get dinner on the table. What the hell is going on with them?
“Sit down, Jake,” Gran says. “I’d like to play some poker with my grandson.”
I sit back down in my chair reluctantly. We’re here for Gran, I remind myself. I’ll have to deal with this other shit later.
It’s my turn to bet, but I can feel my jaw tic. I don’t know if it’s this growing suspicion about Sierra and Grayson that has me so stressed, or the frustrating situation I’m stuck in with Everly.
My mind has been pummelling me with memories of that kiss. When her lips met mine, every swipe of her tongue, the feel of her skin, the sounds she made. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how perfect she felt against me.
I’m also still bothered by the conversation we had that night about her ex. I hate that she was married to that asshole. I hate the way he treated her. It makes perfect sense now, why she’s afraid to trust men. I understand why she’s so hesitant to get into another relationship. There’s no way she doesn’t feel that spark between us, I’d bet everything on that. Hell, I find it difficult to be in the same room as her and not grasp the back of her neck and kiss the life out of her. But she went through hell and she’s not ready to risk that again. She sees all men like her ex; selfish assholes who put themselves first who will take advantage of you.
Everly is scared to get hurt again. Worse yet, she’s scared that Birdie will get hurt. That’s what I’m up against.
This girl has woven herself into my life to such an extent that I can’t imagine her not being a part of it. It’s the way she smiles with her eyes, making you feel her happiness, or the way she looks at Birdie like she’s the best thing to ever happen to her. It’s the way she nibbles on her bottom lip when she’s concentrating or worried that I’m going to tease her. Every time I close my eyes, I dream about kissing her again, craving that feeling of her body pulled in close to mine.
“I told you, this can’t happen.”
I’ve replayed her words in my mind dozens of times. Everly is scared, but I wish I could make her see that I’m worth the risk. I know we could be good together. I know what we have is special.
Sierra announces that it’s time to eat, snapping me back to reality. We all take our seats in the dining room, squeezed together around the small table. We all dig in, the clatter of cutlery and laughter filling the room. I’m glad Gran didn’t sell this place. It’s not fancy, but it feels like home. And the view of the beach across the street from the living room window can’t be beat.
After dinner, Sierra brings a homemade apple pie to the table, and it tastes just as incredible as it looks.
“Not everyone can make a pie this good,” Gran tells her. “You have a gift like your mom.”
The table goes quiet. The guys know that our parents died when we were kids, but they also know it’s not something I talk about. I hate people feeling sorry for me. The silence at the table is deafening until the ever-unflappable Holden steps in to rescue us.
“So, did you hear about Tucker’s run in with Norma at Seven Oaks?”
“Really?” Tuck shakes his head. “Do you have any stories that don’t involve me? You’re kind of obsessed, dude.”
“What? It’s a good story. Poor Norma wanted to die though. She was traumatized. Daisy witnessed the shit-show too.”
Norma has worked at the Seven Oaks drug store in Reed Point for as long as anyone can remember. She’s in her 70s now and knows everybody’s business. Daisy has known Tucker all of his life, growing up in the house next to his. Their families are close friends.
“Tuck here,” Holden says with a nod at Tucker. “Throws down a box of cereal, a jumbo box of condoms and a bottle of cherry-flavored lube at Norma’s till. Poor Norma’s jaw went slack, and I swear I heard her whispering the Lord’s prayer under her breath. Daisy looked disgusted.”
Grayson busts out a laugh. “Why didn’t you go to Rexall? Everyone knows you can’t buy that stuff at Seven Oaks. I don’t think Norma has taken a sick day in 25 years. I hope you’re ready for the whole town to know about your sex things.”
Tucker rolls his eyes. “Do you have to call them sex things?”
“That’s what they are,” Grayson shrugs, shovelling a fork full of apple pie into his mouth.
“Norma needs to get a grip,” Gran pipes up. “It’s the 21st century, for Pete’s sake. Does she think you’re not having sex? And everyone knows cherry is the only flavour worth using.” I drop my head into my palm in horror while the rest of the table cracks up.
After dessert, everyone takes turns hugging Gran before I leave to take her back to her place. It was a great evening, and I can see how happy it made her to see Sierra and the guys.
It’s late, and I should head home and catch up on sleep. But my mind is racing. I’m unsettled, restless, and I know there is no chance I’ll be able to fall asleep anytime soon. What I want to do is go to Everly’s apartment, but I know that’s not an option. So instead, I just drive, taking the road that winds alongside the cliffs above the beach. It’s a quiet night, and I roll down the window to hear the sound of the waves crashing into shore.
I try to pinpoint what has me so bothered. It’s Everly, of course. It’s always Everly. I’m crazy about her, but it feels like the line of obstacles in our way just keeps getting longer. It’s more than that, though. It’s also my sister. I’m so glad to have Sierra home, but ever since she’s been back in Reed Point, there’s been something off between us. And now I can’t shake the feeling that she’s keeping something from me. Is it Grayson? The thought of one of my best friends sneaking around with my sister makes my blood boil. I’ve known Grayson a long time, and he isn’t a one girl kind of guy. But he wouldn’t add my sister to his list of conquests, would he? He knows how protective I am when it comes to Sierra.
I pull a U-turn and head back towards Haven Harbor. I may not be able to do anything about the standstill with Everly tonight, but I can try to get an answer from Sierra. I feel like I’m going crazy, I have to do something.
Pulling my truck to a stop in front of my sister’s house, I am relieved to see that the lights are still on. The front door is unlocked, so I knock as I push it open, then stop abruptly when I step into her place.
Grayson stands in the hallway, Sierra in his arms. That asshole is kissing my sister.
I see red, my hands tightening into fists at my sides.
It’sa miracle that I didn’t knock him out. I don’t recall exactly what happened, but I do know that I managed to stop myself from killing the guy. Sierra was in tears. They both swore they were going to tell me the truth. I find that hard to believe, since it turns out they’ve been together for two fucking months. Grayson says he loves her. I doubt that. He can’t commit to a house plant, never mind a woman. My sister is the one girl I asked him to stay away from. I trusted him. I feel like an idiot.
Fuck him. Fuck all of it. If they expect me to give them my blessing, they’re out of their minds. I’ll give Grayson my foot to his face instead.
Back at home, I change into gym shorts and a T-shirt and head out for a run along the beach. My shoes pound the sand as images of the two of them flash through my head. By the time I get back to my place, I’m drenched with sweat and exhausted. Kicking off my shoes, I head to the bathroom for a shower. The hot water massages my muscles, easing the tension from my body. I’m towelling off when my phone vibrates on the bathroom counter. I’m tempted to ignore it, knowing it’s probably my sister wanting to talk and I’m not ready for that. I pick it up anyways and am surprised when I see the name on the screen.
Everly: Can we talk?
Jake: Where are you?
Everly: Home. Can you come over?
Jake: On my way.
The message is shit timing, but let’s face it— I miss Everly and if she wants to talk, I want to listen. Maybe it’ll help distract me from everything else. My jaw is clenched tight the entire drive over to her apartment, and I take a deep breath before I knock on her door. My knees wobble a bit when my eyes catch on her.
She’s wearing a pair of jeans and a white spaghetti strap tank top, her feet bare. Her hair is down in waves over her shoulders. Her normally bright smile is missing, but there’s still a softness to her features.
“Hey.” Her soft voice seeps into my core.
“Are you okay?” I ask, trying and failing to not sound like I’m worried about her. She puts me at ease with a smile.
“I’m fine. Birdie’s fine. It’s nothing like that.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief. But, then what is it? This girl is going to be the death of me. I have no idea where we stand. It’s been weeks since our kiss. And since then, she’s gone out of her way to ignore me. A nervous feeling pulls at my gut.
Fuck. I shouldn’t have kissed her. I shouldn’t have asked her to open up to me about her ex. I did everything wrong.
Growing more anxious by the second about what she wants to talk about, I step inside her apartment, closing the door behind me. It’s quiet, strangely quiet, and I wonder where Birdie is.
Everly stares at me for several moments, a veil masking the expression behind her eyes while I silently ask myself… what the hell does she need to tell me?