Chapter 24
Everly
It’s been three days since we got home from Brookmont, and I have a million things rattling around in my head. I feel frazzled and on edge, and I know that it’s starting to show. Yesterday, I dropped Birdie off at school and burst into tears watching her walk inside. Last night, I cried in Jake’s arms after we tucked her in.
Grant has been threatening me for months and I’ve ignored him, but something in his eyes this time felt different. This time I actually believed him.
It’s so frustrating that he thinks he can dictate what I do with my life. Coming to Reed Point was the best decision I’ve ever made, the fresh start that Birdie and I so desperately needed.
I throw a sweatshirt on over my head and walk into the kitchen, where Birdie and Jake are sitting at the table. Jake is teaching her how to draw—another one of his many talents.
“Are you going to stay tonight?” Birdie asks him, looking up from her notebook.
“Would you like me to?” Jake stops drawing to look over at her.
“Of course!”
“Then I will.”
Jake has been sleeping here most nights. At this point, he only stops by his place to grab more clothes. We’ve fallen into this comfortable routine. The three of us wake up together and Jake gets breakfast started while I get Birdie ready for school. Then one of us drops her off. Jake has been picking her up from school some days too. Birdie loves it when he does the after-school pick-up because he usually takes her for a treat on the way home. Yesterday, the two of them went through the McDonalds drive-thru for caramel sundaes. He’s promised to take her with him to one of the job sites later this week so he can show her a new house he is building. She’s been talking about that for days.
I gave my notice at the restaurant, but in the meantime, I still have to cover some late-night shifts.
We spend the rest of the night watching a movie and by the time it’s over, Birdie and Jake have both fallen asleep on the couch next to me. I grab my laptop from the coffee table and Google places for rent in Brookmont. I haven’t figured out what I’m going to do, but I have to be realistic. Grant has no shortage of resources, and if he really wants to force me to move Birdie back there, he may be able to make it happen.
I glance over at my daughter, who is nestled into Jake’s arms, and my heart lurches. How will we ever be able to leave him? I worry about what this will do to Birdie. The two of them have gotten so close.
“Are you going back?” Jake asks, startling me.
“You’re awake.”
“I have been for a while. Talk to me, Ev. Are you leaving?”
My eyes meet his. “I don’t know. I just… I may not have a choice.”
“When?”
“I haven’t made any decisions. I’m just looking at options,” I say, closing my laptop. “I know Grant, and he meant it this time. I can’t lose her…”
“And you won’t,” he says, sounding certain.
“Jake, you don’t know that, and you don’t know my ex. I’m trying hard to stay calm about this, but I’m scared. I need to figure things out.”
He sits up slowly, careful not to wake Birdie, and I have to fight the tears that so desperately want to fall.
“I’m going to put her to bed,” he says softly. “I’ll be right back.”
Jake holds Birdie close to his chest and walks down the hall that leads to her bedroom. When he returns a few minutes later, he sinks to the couch beside me and gathers me in his arms, holding me against his chest.
“I’m sorry, Ev.”
“What are you sorry for?”
“That you’re in this position.” He moves me so my legs are draped over his lap. “It’s not fair. I know you’ve been happy here.”
He’s right. I haven’t been this happy in a long time. I was lost when I came to Reed Point. Then I met Jake. We were only supposed to be friends, and somewhere along the way, I fell for him.
“I don’t want to go.” A tear finally falls, and he swipes it away.
“I don’t want you to go either,” he says, cupping my face in his hands.
“Will we lose you?”
“No chance. I care about the two of you too much to ever let that happen.” Jake’s lips part and he kisses me.
“Is Birdie sleeping?”
“Out like a light.”
“Take me to bed, Jake. I need you.”
He smiles softly, standing with me in his arms. “I’m going to make you forget about everything.”
“I know you will.”
And he does. For a little while.
“Don’t be nervous.They’re going to love you.” Jake says, taking my hand as we walk the driveway to Sierra’s house.
“I hope so.”
He winks. “They will.”
His sister is having us over for dinner along with a bunch of Jake’s friends, and although I haven’t been in the best frame of mind lately, I told him I would go. I know it’s important to Jake that I meet his friends, and it’s important to me too.
We dropped Birdie off at my parents’ place on the way over, and Jake finally got to meet my mom and dad. We stayed for coffee and my mom’s famous banana bread and ended up sitting in the family room talking for a while. My dad did most of the talking; my mom had difficulty wiping the smile from her face. As we were leaving, she took me aside and told me Jake was a keeper. Of course, I already knew that, but it still made me happy to know that she likes him.
“This street is a hidden gem. I can’t believe I’ve never driven down here,” I say to Jake, taking in the expanse of beach right across the street from Sierra’s house. I can see why she loves it here on Haven Harbor.
“This is where I grew up, baby. My gran and gramps raised Sierra and me in that little old house,” Jake says as we pull up to the butter-yellow rancher that his sister moved into this past summer. “And right over there,” he says, pointing to a bluff at the end of the road, “is where I would cliff jump into the ocean. I’d climb up there and just leap off. Gran used to want to kill me she’d be so scared.”
“Always getting into trouble, even when you were little.”
His lips tip up in that delicious smirk that I love. “I plan on getting into trouble with you later on tonight.”
I swat at his arm. “That was so cheesy, but you look hot in this T-shirt, so I’ll give you a pass.” Jake knows I like it when I can see his tattoos. He is well aware of how much it turns me on.
“I know. I wore it for you.” He takes two steps towards me, cradles my face, and slowly brings his lips to mine. “You look beautiful. I can’t believe you’re mine.”
I sigh heavily. “There’s no need to butter me up, Jake Matthews. I’m a sure thing tonight. Now, let’s go inside before we cause a scene.”
“The lovebirds are here,”Grayson hollers to the room as he greets us in the entryway. All eyes turn our way, and I feel momentarily overwhelmed. I smile and then look up at Jake, who slips his arm around my waist and squeezes lightly. I’m relieved when Sierra appears at our side, a familiar face.
“Everly! I’m so glad you’re here,” she says, pulling me into a hug. “Oh, and I guess you too, Jake.”
She grins at her brother and then loops an arm through mine and starts making introductions.
I meet Tucker first, then Holden, and I’m taken aback at how handsome they both are. Holden is pretty with his perfectly styled hair and ocean-blue eyes, while Tucker is more rugged-looking. They’re both really sweet, telling me how they’ve been pushing Jake to meet me.
Next, I’m introduced to Beckett and his wife Jules. Sierra and Jules work together at the hotel, and I can tell right away that they’re close. Beckett asks about Birdie, and how she’s enjoying Reed Point. He and Jules have a daughter too, he says, though she’s a bit younger. His eyes light up as soon as he mentions her. Jake told me about Jules and Beckett this morning over breakfast, as he gave me a crash course in who I would be meeting tonight. The two of them work for competing companies, which I guess caused some complications in the early days of their relationship. It all worked out in the end—I can tell from the way they look at each other that they are head-over-heels in love.
“Okay, all of you,” Sierra says, taking me by my elbow. “Let’s give Everly some space. We don’t want to freak her out.” She winks at me, and then leads me to the kitchen, Jules following behind us.
I take a seat at the bar, and Sierra slides a glass of wine across the kitchen island to me.
“Thanks.” I take the glass, feeling more comfortable than I was expecting to.
“I’m so glad you two finally get to meet. I’ve been telling Jules about you for weeks,” Sierra says, raising her wine glass. “Cheers! To new friends.”
We clink glasses, and then Sierra sets out a few appies.
“So,” she says, leaning against the island. “I have so many questions! We didn’t really get a chance to chat on our own the night we met.”
“I might need more wine for this,” I joke, before taking a sip from my glass.
“Oh, there is plenty more where that Chardonnay came from,” Jules chimes in. “Sierra has been waiting for this moment.”
“Seriously, traitor,” Sierra says, glaring at Jules. “I admit, I’m a little excited. Jake hasn’t brought a girl home since… well, it’s just been a while.”
“It’s okay,” I reassure her. “I know all about Jade. He told me about her.”
“Sorry, that slipped. I shouldn’t have brought her up. It’s just good to see him so happy again. Jake doesn’t let many people in.”
“I know. And I definitely get it. I guess we’ve both been afraid to get hurt again. That and the age difference,” I confess. “It took some time to wrap my brain around it.”
“Really? None of us have batted an eye about that,” Jules shrugs. “Well, except for the guys congratulating him and giving him high fives. Guys love the idea of an older woman.”
I take another sip of my wine, trying to hide the fact that I’m sure I’m blushing. Thankfully, the subject changes to Jules and her brothers. As I listen to Sierra and her chat, the puzzle pieces start clicking together and I realize that she’s a Bennett, the wealthy family Violet told me about at Catch 21 the night I ran into Jake. He was having dinner with Liam, Jules’ brother. Her other brother is the ridiculously hot Hollywood star, Miles Bennett. I’m dying to ask her about him, but I manage to resist. I’m sure she gets tired of fielding questions about her movie star brother.
I glance through the sliding door, where my eyes find Jake’s. You okay? he mouths. I smile and nod, and he winks. Jake is thoughtful and caring and everything I’ve ever wanted in a man.
“Gosh, you two are the cutest ever,” Sierra says, noticing the stupid smile on my face. “And wait until you meet Birdie.” She looks at Jules. “She is so freaking adorable, and her and Jake are so sweet together. My dumbass brother better not fuck things up.”
My chest tightens. My heart will be broken when I move back to Brookmont, and so will Birdie’s, and it will be all my fault. I try to hide the wave of sadness I feel, but Sierra notices my sudden shift in mood.
“Oh, are you okay?” she asks, reaching across the island to squeeze my hand. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, not at all,” I insist. I’m not sure how much I should tell them. It seems weird dumping my problems on them when we’ve just met. “Sorry. I’m okay… My ex is just making things difficult.”
“I assumed there was an ex somewhere in the picture, but my brother hasn’t said much.”
“There is an ex. He lives in Brookmont, where Birdie and I lived until last March.” I tell them a little about my history with Grant, my decision to move to Reed Point with Birdie, and his demands now that we return. I don’t get into the really awful parts. Jules and Sierra listen intently with wide eyes. I can only imagine how they would react if they heard the whole story.
“My God, I am so sorry. You are dealing with a lot,” Jules says with sincerity. “And now you’ve found Jake. I guess that further complicates things.”
“It does.” I pause. “I wasn’t looking for someone. In fact, I had sworn off men all together, but Jake walked into my life, and he got it right where my ex-husband got everything wrong. It finally feels like I’m not the only one giving my all.”
I just wish I could fully act on my feelings. I wish I could tell him I love him. But that will only make things more difficult when we have to say goodbye.
“So, what are you going to do?” Sierra asks softly.
I sigh. “I have to move back. I don’t have another choice, and I can’t ask your brother to come with me.”
Jake owns a business; he has a family and great friends and a full life here in Reed Point. I could never ask that of him.
“If you two love each other enough, you’ll find a way,” Jules says with conviction in her voice. “Trust me. I know.”
Jules tells me about her relationship with Beckett, about the obstacles they faced to be together—her family’s disapproval, the fact that he had a very big job offer waiting for him in London. Sierra and Grayson also had to overcome some challenges, she tells me, but eventually, they figured it out. Their stories give me hope.
“I care about him a lot.”
“He’s a good one, Everly,” Sierra says. “He’s honest and giving, and he’s obviously crazy about you. Guys like him don’t come around often. Do everything you can to find a way to be together if that’s what you want. He’ll love you forever.”
My throat gets tight at the thought. I’ve imagined a future with Jake and Birdie, and more babies with his green eyes and dark hair. I can picture a life with him.
But life doesn’t always work out like you planned. I should know that better than anyone.
JAKE
“That’s it! Keep peddling!”I holler at Birdie once my hand leaves the back of her seat. She rides without my help for a few beats before her handlebars swerve to one side and she plants a foot down to stop from falling. “That was great! A little more practice and you’re almost there.”
She drops her bike to the ground and snaps open the helmet buckle under her chin.
“You ready to have some lunch?” I ask, walking towards her, holding my hand out for a high-five. She winds up and claps my hand.
“Yeah, all that bike riding has made me hungry.”
“Okay, let’s go see your mom.”
I carry her bike back to the apartment, Birdie skipping ahead of me. When we step inside, Everly is on the phone.
“I haven’t said anything to Birdie, but I’ll have to soon. I’m making decisions today.” She pauses. “Thanks, mom. I know… I feel the same. I’ve loved living here so much.” Loved, past tense. My heart aches hearing her say that. I understand she has to go; I would do the same if I were in her shoes. I only wish things were different. I prop Birdie’s bike next to the door and walk to the kitchen for a glass of water. I don’t want to hover, but I do want to hear what she has to say. “I gotta run. Jake’s back with Birdie.” There’s another pause. “I will. I love you.”
She ends the call and gets to her feet, an uneasy expression on her beautiful face. “Hey,” she says, walking towards me. “Is Birdie in her room?”
“She is.”
“How did it go?”
“She’s so close. I give it another week and she’ll be riding her bike without help.” But you won’t be here for me to see it.
I brush her hair back from her face, and Everly sighs as if she can read my mind. “You’re going soon, aren’t you?”
“I have to.” Her forehead drops to my chest and my hand instinctively goes to the back of her head. She starts to cry.
“Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry. We’ll figure this out.” I hold her close.
“It’s all so overwhelming. I don’t know what to do first. I can’t find a rental on such short notice. There’s nothing.”
“We’ll take it one step at a time. I’ll help you with whatever you need.”
My hands are tied. The only option I have is to support her. We aren’t married, and Birdie isn’t legally mine, although, over the last couple of weeks, it has started to feel like she is.
I love that little girl like I’ve known her all her life. I still can’t believe that an 8-year-old has made me this much of a mush. I want to be the one who teaches her how to ride her bike, helps her with her spelling homework and tucks her in at night.
I want to be the one who tucks her mom in at night too. But how can I tell Everly not to go? The hard truth of the matter is, I can’t. Birdie comes first, and she always will. That’s the way it needs to be.
“And what about us?” She takes a step away from me. “I can’t expect you to do long distance.”
“Brookmont isn’t far. I’ll visit you every weekend. Every holiday, until we can figure something out. You’re not going to lose me. I promise you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Jake… it won’t be easy.”
“The good things in life never are.” I reach for her, pulling her hips into mine, and then I lean down as she goes up on her tiptoes, meeting me halfway. I press my lips to hers, the words I love you left unsaid on the tip of my tongue.