ELEVEN.
Ever
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Ten seconds.
I’m sitting on the porch steps, soaking in the last of the August warmth, when a car I don’t recognize rolls up the driveway.
It’s Monday—one of the few days Tobias, Jesse, and Caden are all here at once, the one day they never schedule outside visitors if they can help it. Which means something’s up.
I push myself up and head toward the barn, curiosity pulling me forward.
As I get closer, I spot Caden leaning against his truck, arms crossed tight, expression hard-set in a way that’s completely out of character for him.
He’s usually the one who brings the lightness—always cracking jokes, diffusing tension, turning even the longest days into something bearable.
He’s become like a younger brother to me, and seeing him like this, shoulders rigid and mouth pressed into a thin line, makes my stomach drop.
My mind jumps straight to the worst: one of the animals is hurt, or sick, or worse.
In the distance near the barn, Tobias stands talking to a woman.
They’re close—too close—and I can’t help noticing how he’s dressed today.
The sage-green t-shirt that makes his eyes stand out, jeans that look freshly washed, cowboy hat held in one hand instead of on his head.
He only takes it off when he’s giving someone his full attention, and right now he’s giving it to her.
She’s pretty in that effortless Southern way—blonde hair falling in soft waves, blue eyes, boot-cut jeans, brown work boots. And the way they lean toward each other, the way she smiles at something he says and drifts even closer, makes it clear they know each other well.
I pull the bandana from my back pocket, crumple it, and toss it at the side of Caden’s head. He flinches and looks over quickly, then exhales and tosses it back. I lean against the truck beside him, mirroring his crossed arms as we stare at the scene unfolding.
“Who’s that?” I ask, nodding toward them. Caden’s hands flex open and closed, like he’s debating whether to answer at all.
“Serena,” he says finally, voice flat. “She’s Dr. Moore’s vet assistant.”
I watch her smile wide at something Tobias says, leaning in until her hand rests lightly on his forearm. She gazes up at him like he’s the only person in the world.
“She’s pretty,” I say before I can stop myself.
“Yeah, she is” Caden mutters, eyes still fixed on them. I glance sideways at him. This quiet, down mood is so unlike him it hurts to see.
“Do you know her?”
“I’ve had a crush on her since high school,” he admits, almost under his breath.
“Seriously?” Everything clicks into place. He likes her.
“Yeah. She’s out of my league, though. I’m not even sure she knows we went to the same school.”
“Aren’t the schools here pretty small?” I ask.
He shrugs. “She was a junior when I was a freshman.”
“Oh.” I turn my eyes back to the pair. “Well, age differences are more of a big deal when you’re young. You’re what—twenty-five?” He nods. “That means she’s twenty-seven, twenty-eight. That’s literally my age. It’s not a big deal at all.”
“It’s not the age difference,” he says, nodding toward Tobias. “It’s competing with that.”
My gaze follows. Tobias stands with that familiar wide-shouldered stance, arms strong and relaxed. I feel the involuntary swoon inside me.
“No one has a chance when he’s in the mix.”
“You never know,” I say softly, but then Serena leans all the way in, hand still on his forearm, gazing up at him. I drop my eyes to my boots.
“This sucks,” Caden mutters, shaking his head slightly. I grind my teeth, trying to push down the sudden flare of possessiveness in my chest. “Lucky for you, he’s not interested in her.”
“That looks like he’s not interested in her?” I ask, my voice heavy with sarcasm, because Tobias isn’t pulling away. He’s still talking, still focused on her. “And what do you mean ‘lucky for you’? This isn’t about me.”
He side-eyes me, giving me a look that says he’s seen every unspoken thing that’s been simmering between us.
“There’s nothing going on between us, Caden,” I say quickly. He lifts his eyebrows in rapid succession, the universal gesture for “sure, whatever you say”.
We both turn our attention back to the barn, where Serena still has her hand resting on Tobias’s arm. It shouldn’t bother me. It really shouldn’t. But it does.
Then all of a sudden she laughs—soft, gentle, the kind of laugh that sounds effortless and musical. Her lips are perfect, her teeth are bright white, and she glances up at him with her eyes all bright and fluttery. It sets my teeth on edge.
“She’s laughing,” I mutter under my breath.
Caden grunts. “What do you think he said?”
“Tobias has never said anything I have ever wanted to laugh at like that,” I reply.
He nods, and then it hits like a gut punch: Tobias smiles back at her. Not just a smirk or a half-grin—I’ve seen those before—but a full, genuine smile that reaches his eyes and softens the hard lines of his face. I’ve never seen him smile like that.
“This sucks,” I echo his earlier words, my voice quieter than I intended. Caden just nods again.
“Don’t have feelings for him, huh?” he teases, nudging my shoulder lightly. I shake my head, crossing my arms tighter across my chest like I can physically hold the emotions in.
“I don’t,” I lie. But it’s obvious now. Seeing him with her—talking, reacting, smiling the way he never smiles at me—makes me wonder how deep their history goes.
If there’s something more there. “So how do we stop this?” I ask, my big-sister instincts kicking in. “What do we do to get their attention?”
“I could do something dumb and make you laugh really loud,” he offers.
I nod slowly. “Girls do like guys with a sense of humor.”
“I don’t know,” he says, glancing toward Tobias again. “This whole brooding thing seems to be working well for him.”
He’s right. Tobias’s demeanor sets him apart from everyone else around here. Quiet, intense, always holding something back. But if you can get him to break—even just a little—that actually means something. It’s rare. It’s earned.
“You’ve made me laugh way more times than he ever has,” I tell Caden. “I’d much rather hang out with you than him.”
“But you’d rather tear his clothes off,” he says bluntly. I can’t help it—I laugh. He does have a point.
“Wanting to tear someone’s clothes off and wanting to spend genuine time with someone are two very different things,” I say. “One is short-term. The other is long-term. You have long-term qualities. Besides, you’re ripped, Caden. You know you are. I’ve seen you flexing while you work.”
He laughs too, looking down and flexing his crossed arms in demonstration. When he glances up at me, his eyes are lit with that wicked grin I know so well.
“I could teach you some wrestling moves,” he says. “That would definitely get their attention.”
“You want to wrestle me?” I ask, eyebrow raised. He shrugs and turns toward me.
“Ten seconds,” he says confidently. “I could have you pinned on the ground in ten seconds.”
“Ten?” I repeat, exasperated. “Now that’s offensive. You don’t think I can last more than ten seconds in a fight?”
“You’re strong and fit, I’ll give you that,” he says. “But let’s be honest, Ever. Your arms are twigs. You wouldn’t be able to take me on.”
I narrow my eyes at him. Ten seconds. I’d last longer than that. “I think you underestimate me.”
“And you underestimate me,” he shoots back. I can’t help the slow smile that spreads across my lips. “Come on. Let’s see what you got.”
“No way,” I say, but he’s fast. He grabs my wrists and unwinds my arms, spinning me so my back is to his chest. I try to elbow him, shift my hip to knock him off balance, but his grip is firm—not painful, just controlled.
The next thing I know, he sweeps my legs out from under me and I’m flat on my back in the dirt. He drops down sideways and pins my arm out to the side. His breath is hot against my ear and all I can do is laugh.
“God, get off me,” I gasp, trying to shove him away, but he presses more weight down, squeezing the laughter out of me until I’m wheezing. “Caden!”
I buck my hips hard and he finally slides off. He sits back on his haunches with his hands on his thighs, grinning down at me.
“What the hell was that?” I ask, propping myself up on my elbows.
“Eight seconds,” he says, eyes lit up with triumph.
I laugh again, knowing he’s probably right. I didn’t even last ten seconds. That’s so lame. But the look on his face is worth every second of it.
“You also failed to mention you actually know how to wrestle,” I say, brushing dirt off my arm.
Caden shrugs easily, like it’s no big deal. Then his eyes flick upward as the sun is suddenly blocked out. Tobias and Serena stand over us, shadows falling across the dirt.
“What’s going on?” Tobias asks, his voice low and stern, mouth set in a hard line. There’s no trace of the easy smile he was giving Serena just minutes ago.
“I was showing Ever some wrestling moves,” Caden replies smoothly, glancing at me with a grin. “She didn’t believe me when I said she had twig arms.”
“Rude,” I scoop up a clump of dirt and chuck it at his chest.
“Hey,” he protests, brushing it off with exaggerated annoyance. “This is my favorite shirt.”
“I’m well aware,” I shoot back, though honestly I had no idea. I only say it because I catch the way Serena is looking at Caden now, and I realize he might actually have a shot with her. “You always wear it when you’re trying to impress me.”
He gives me a questioning look, like he genuinely doesn’t know what I’m talking about, but when he glances at the others, I can tell he’s starting to understand that our little stunt got both Tobias and Serena’s full attention.
Caden stands smoothly and offers his hand, so I take it and let him haul me to my feet. I brush my hands down my jeans, but it’s useless—I’m covered in dust.
“Hold on,” he says softly, then leans in to wipe dirt from my shoulder. He pulls my braid to the side and picks out a few stray pieces of grass and dirt out, then flicks them to the side.
“Good as new,” he confirms, then lays my braid back down with surprising care.
“Thanks,” I mutter, glancing hesitantly at the other two. They’re watching every movement, every small gesture.
“Do you still wrestle?” Serena asks, breaking the silence. Caden looks at me hesitantly, so I give him an encouraging grin.
“Uh, no,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks slightly flushed. “Not really.”
Wow. He really is nervous around her.
“He said I couldn’t last ten seconds,” I add, shoving his arm playfully. “He failed to mention he actually knew how to wrestle.”
“He was the best at our school,” Serena confirms. “No one could ever beat him.”
My eyebrows shoot up. I’m starting to think Caden is just a dumb boy who’s completely missed the signs being thrown his way. Because she most definitely remembers who he is.
“I did not know that,” I say, looking between them.
“Don’t you have work to get done?” Tobias grumbles at Caden. I narrow my eyes at him. He’s either oblivious to the tension crackling between Caden and Serena, or he doesn’t want her interested in him. Maybe both.
“Yeah,” Caden says, sounding a little defeated. “I should get going.”
“Same,” I say, following his lead.
Tobias narrows his eyes at me. “You’re staying here.”
“No, actually, I’m not,” I reply with a challenge in my voice. I see his jaw clench, the pulse ticking at his temple. I smile at it.
Caden throws his arm around my shoulders and turns me quickly. I lean into him, giddiness bubbling up into a laugh as I press my face into his shoulder.
“What is wrong with us?” I say, still laughing.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Is she into me?” he asks in a hopeful tone. I lean away and shove his arm. He stumbles sideways, but catches his balance easily.
“Are you an idiot? Yes! She’s so into you,” I tell him. His eyes light up. “I can’t believe you were sulking this whole time. She was probably doing all that to make you jealous.”
“For real? You think so?” I shake my head in disbelief as we fall into an easy walk side by side. “Should I ask her out?”
“You definitely should,” I confirm. He rubs the side of his face nervously. “She’ll say yes. Trust me. You have nothing to lose.”
“One of us needs to look back to see if they’re still watching us.”
“I’m not looking back. Are you crazy?” I say.
He slows his pace and turns his head to glance over his shoulder. His eyes flicker back and forth quickly, then a grin curls on his lips as he turns back quickly.
“They’re both staring us down,” he says.
I can’t help it. I look over my shoulder. Serena’s eyes meet mine first, but she looks away fast. Tobias’s gaze stays locked on me—firm, intense, fire lit behind it. I grin wide, chuckle under my breath, and turn back around.
“Yeah,” I tell Caden. “Definitely still looking.”
He bumps my shoulder playfully. Heat creeps up to my cheeks as we walk over the ridge toward the chickens, the tension from earlier replaced by something lighter, something almost hopeful.