13. Nash

Chapter 13

Nash

I ce to my face, I check my email. It’s late, and the bar is long closed when it finally comes through.

Reed,

I hope you had a good night. I went out with my best friend Hayley. She co-owns Bookers with her brother. I don’t know if you’ve been there or not. It’s a nice place. I have started to help her bake for the restaurant part of the pub. If you ever want to meet up, I’d love to say hi.

Sorry to bother you. It’s just been a weird night.

Have a good one,

Everly

P.S. If you ever want to text me, you can.

I do want to text her, but not as Reed. I want to text her and find out if she’s okay. She left after I threw Richie out, and I want to know how she’s doing. But I also don’t want to freak her out.

I’ve wanted to nail his ass to the wall for years. But Richie is going to sink himself with how he acts. It’s just a matter of time.

I reach for my extra phone that I use for property management. I power it on and make sure it still has battery. I type in Everly’s number.

Hi. It’s Reed.

I blow out a puff of air and look up at the ceiling. I hate lying to her.

Everly

Hi, I just emailed. Assuming you got it? Thought it would be easier to text and take it out of the 90s. Although You’ve Got Mail is one of my all-time favorite movies.

Never seen it.

Everly

Really? You should watch it. It’s a classic.

I’ve heard of it. Why was your night weird? You okay?

Everly

It was confusing. I’m divorced, and I ran into my ex. He said some nasty things to me in front of everyone at the pub. It was embarrassing. I was just trying to have a good night, and he ruined it.

Want me to beat him up? Haha jk

Everly

Lol, no. Thanks, though. It was like a Jerry Springer episode. He punched a guy and ended up getting arrested.

He punched a guy? I’m “a guy”? Remembering to stay in character, I continue.

That sounds upsetting. Who did he punch?

Everly

He punched my best friend’s brother. And before that happened, her brother and I had an… unexpected moment.

What was unexpected? Do you like the brother?

Everly

Honestly? I’ve always loved him. But he doesn’t feel the same for me. Or at least I thought he didn’t. Until tonight, that is.

It’s not lost on me that she said loved. She didn’t say like. Relief fills my chest, and I roll my fist over my chest as it squeezes. I needed to know she felt the same, and she does. I continue the conversation, feeling like a jerk, but I can’t help it.

What happened to your ex and this guy?

Everly

I’m not sure. I didn’t stick around. After getting into trouble, I was so embarrassed about what he said to me and what was happening that I left. I shouldn’t have been there. I should have been at home with my daughter. The pub is not where I want to be a regular unless I’m baking in the back. That I can handle.

Why do you think you shouldn’t have been there? You have a right to go out with your friends and have fun, right?

Everly

I need to just settle for being single forever. I’m not cut out for dating.

What do you mean by that?

Everly

I don’t know how to do this whole dating thing. I’m not girlfriend material.

?

Everly

I don’t know how to be a girlfriend. I’m a wife. I want to see him every day and cook dinner together. I want to be in love and take care of him. Spend every day and make memories together. But dating is like, yeah, see you at 8 on Saturday. See how that sucks?

Damn. That sounds incredible. Whoever gets that with you is a lucky guy.

Everly

Haha. I’m not lucky. I’m a mess. I feel terrible bothering you with this. I can’t talk to my friend about him since it’s her brother. Too weird.

Sounds like he likes you back. Maybe you should talk to him.

Everly

What if he doesn’t, and it makes things even more strained between us? We used to be close. Now we haven’t talked in years.

You never know until you try. Call him.

Everly

Okay, I will before I lose my nerve. Thank you, Reed.

No problem. Let me know how it goes.

My personal phone rings in my pocket, so I pull it out and see her name light up the screen. I close my eyes and swallow.

“Everly,” I say softly.

“Hi,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry to call you so late. Did I wake you?”

“I own a pub, beautiful. I keep late hours. Just winding down.”

She sighs. “I’m really sorry about tonight, Nash. I shouldn’t have?—”

“Shouldn’t have what?” I interrupt before she can tell me she shouldn’t have kissed me because I don’t think I can take it if she does.

When I touched her and kissed her at the pub, I didn’t miss the way our skin zinged when we touched. The way she had goose bumps when I had her in my arms. There’s no denying we still have insane chemistry together. And if she tries to tell me anything different, I don’t think I can handle hearing it after all this.

“I should have just stayed home. I knew Richie would probably start something if he knew I was out tonight.”

Annoyance fills me, hearing that she can’t have fun with her friend without Richie, which makes her life miserable.

“Ev, you are not responsible for his behavior. You’re allowed to have a life and shouldn’t have to put up with him crossing the line like this.”

It’s quiet for a minute, and she says softly, “What was that kiss about?”

“That kiss? That was you and me finally realizing what is meant to be.” I take my shot, not even holding back.

“You like me?” she asks, and I hear the confusion in her voice.

Like her? She has no clue. No clue about the pain and turmoil I’ve dealt with by not having her in my life. I can’t even take it anymore, and I have to tell her the truth. I’m not sure what’s compelling me to lay it all out there for her, but I can’t hold back anymore. We have to hash this out. I can’t keep going on like this with her.

So I lay down every single card I have and hope to fucking God she gets it and understands why I did what I did.

“It’s always been true. I wasn’t good enough for you. You deserved someone who could take care of you and support you. Everly, back then, I could barely support myself. I couldn’t give you what you needed. I had to push you away so you’d go live your life, go to college, and achieve all your goals and dreams. With me, you wouldn’t have done any of that. I was going to hold you back.”

“No, Nash. You were good enough.”

“I wasn’t. I was a screwup back then, and we both know it.” I level with her.

She sighs, and I continue, “Beautiful, I love you. Always have, always will. And that might be a lot to hit you with right now. But you need to know. It’s true, and it’s always been true. This isn’t some random I love you bullshit. You know you’ve always meant more to me than anyone.”

She’s so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

“Everly?” Closing my eyes, I’m wondering if I’ve gone too far .

“I’m still here,” she says softly. “Why do you call me beautiful?”

“Because you hate the nickname Babe. You told me in high school that a few boys called you Babe and made fun of you because it’s a pig. I beat them up. Do you remember that?”

“Yes,” she breathes softly.

“But you should know that I intend on ending this silence between us. I want you to know my feelings and what I want to do about them.”

“And that is?” she asks.

“I’m claiming what’s mine.”

Her breath hitches. “Nash…”