2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jamie

At the sound of Evie's voice I lift a hand to rub the tightness that's suddenly gripped my chest. I knew I missed her, but I didn't realize how much until hearing her say my name. My stomach sinks as the coldness of her tone reminds me of how we ended things.

The past few months have been a whirlwind of activity. Work kept me emotionally and mentally busy. Though I would think about Evie often, I didn't make any attempt to contact her.

If I'm honest, I was afraid to. I wasn't sure what would be happening with my job, and I didn't want to make promises I couldn't keep. We never really talked about what was happening between us or where we wanted it to go. Besides, her life is in Willow Falls with Bake My Day.

"I'm doing okay. Glad to be coming home," I push the words through a tight throat.

"That's the latest news around town," she says, her tone very un-Evie-like. My stomach drops at the hardness of her voice. Can I blame her? "I've got to get back to work. Our siblings are working me to death over here."

"Don't let them take complete advantage of you," I tease, my smile weak.

There's a pregnant silence before Sean starts talking again. "Evie isn't the only one with wedding responsibilities. We've got best man duties waiting for you, including game night tomorrow."

I frown. "Game night? Couldn't you give me a bit more notice? I'm just getting home; I need to make sure that I'm mentally prepared to take on you and Jess," I reply, already searching for an excuse to skip out.

Sean continues, his playful tone refusing to budge. "Stop. I seem to recall you and Evie kicking our butt the last time we played. And besides, it's not just any game night; it's a welcome home party for you. Everyone is super excited to see you. Right, Evie?"

My heart stops at Sean's words as I wait for Evie to respond. Is she super excited to see me?

"Right," Evie says tightly. That's a no. I feel a frown creep down my face. I can't help but wonder if Sean and Jess notice.

"See?" Sean continues, not missing a beat. "It's been too long, man."

My mouth falls open at Sean's seemingly obliviousness. Evie, like Sean, is one of the happiest people I know. She's never standoffish. How are neither Sean or Jessica commenting on this? Maybe that's a blessing, as I don't have to answer questions.

"Alright, you win," I finally push the words out with a sigh. "I'll be there."

"Yes!" Sean exclaims, clearly pleased with my response. "Just don't forget to wear your ugly sweater."

"Ugly sweater?" I pull my eyebrows together.

"Come on, Jamie! You haven't been gone that long. You know we always do an ugly sweater party at Christmas time."

I immediately think of Evie in her six-year-in-a-row ugly sweater and grin. "Will you be wearing your usual, Evie?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Silence meets the other end .

"That's it," Evie groans. "I'm getting a new sweater." I hear Sean and Jessica laughing.

"What did I miss?" Surprised by her answer. "Evie, I didn't mean to insult you—"

"You didn't insult her," Sean interrupts me with a laugh. "I was teasing her earlier about her one ugly sweater, and she said she wasn't getting another one. Looks like she is now." I can't help but chuckle as Jess and Sean laugh hysterically on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, good." I sigh, still feeling unsettled about the tension between Evie and I. "If it's an ugly sweater party for my homecoming, I'll be there, and I'll definitely bring my A-game."

"Attaboy!" Sean says with a hearty laugh. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Sean."

My mind drifts to the upcoming game night and, more importantly, the prospect of seeing Evie again. Despite my initial reluctance, I find myself looking forward to it, eager to see her after all this time. I've missed my family too. It will be nice to spend time with them while doing one of our favorite pastimes, game night with the O'Connells .

As the day moves on, I begin to think about what I'll wear to the party. Should I go for something ironic? Obnoxious? Or just plain hideous?

Then, a thought occurs to me. What if I wore the sweater Evie gave me last Christmas? As I contemplate the idea of wearing the gift Evie gave me that had everyone laughing hysterically, I wonder if she would find it endearing or annoying. But another part of me thinks it might be the perfect ice-breaker. A way to show her that I still care.

My mouth goes dry as I wonder what her reaction would be to me showing up in the sweater. To my family, it wouldn't be that monumental, the Stewarts and O'Connells have always traded gifts. But would she understand the significance? Would she know that it was my way of apologizing? Regretting how I left things? Am I ready to put it out there?

I shake the thoughts from my head. The purpose of my phone call was to let Sean know when my flight would be getting in, but now, having talked to Evie, I'm completely off-kilter.

With my suitcase in hand, I step out of the apartment building where I've spent the past six months. The car I ordered to drive me to the airport is waiting outside, the driver patiently holding the door open for me.

"Good afternoon, sir." He greets me with a smile, holding his hand out to place my luggage in the trunk. "Any other bags?"

His question hits me hard. I only packed for a short stay but ended things with Evie like I was going away forever. What was I thinking?

I was thinking that my new job could potentially be dangerous, and I didn't want to put her or my family in harm's way. Even after six months, I'm still not entirely convinced it's safe. My job is to track down people who are occasionally into really dark things.

"Sir?" The driver interrupts my thoughts, bringing me back to the moment.

"No, that's it," I smile at him and settle into the back seat. As we pull away from the curb, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for this place. But I'm eager to get home and see everyone, and if I'm honest, especially Evie.

As I wait for my flight, my mind drifts back to the job that brought me to this city in the first place. It was a six-month contract as a cybersecurity expert, with the possibility of a permanent position. The position offered me both a generous paycheck and the opportunity to travel.

At first, the excitement of the job had me buzzing. The work was challenging but satisfying. Not everyone would find the work I do exciting; digging into code is not what most people would call thrilling. But to me, finding the pieces and putting the puzzle together was fascinating.

Despite the satisfaction this job brought me, there was a lingering feeling that something was missing. Today, I realized it wasn't something but someone.

Now, with my contract fulfilled and my suitcase packed, I can't help but wonder if I made the right choice when I ended things with Evie. In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't. Why did I do that? Why didn't I just talk to her and tell her my concerns? The tightness that's been in my chest since the phone call earlier becomes a full-blown ache.

I show my boarding pass to the flight attendant and make my way down the aisle to my seat. Lost in my thoughts, I'm surprised when the plane starts to lift off. I rub my chest and then settle in for the long flight. I pass the time reading Jess' latest book, which is amazing and worthy of its best-selling status.

Before I know it, the plane begins its descent into the nearest major airport to Willow Falls. I retrieve my luggage and make my way to the exit, where the familiar chill of the Northern California air meets me. The tension my shoulders have been holding for the last six months releases, and I take a deep breath, glad to be home.

Outside, I flag down a taxi and give the driver the address of my childhood home. When I pull up in front of my parent's house, the house looks exactly like it did when I left, with its warm yellow siding and the familiar oak tree in the front yard.

A real smile creeps upon my face for the first time today. I'm home.

The door swings open, and my mother, along with my father, are beaming at me.

"Jamie!" My mom screams. "I've missed you so much!"

She throws her arms around me and squeezes tight. "It's good to be back," I say, wrapping my arms around her and lifting her up. I laugh at her squeal. "I've missed you too."

"Son." My dad gives me a warm pat on the back and then helps me with my luggage. "Are you hungry? Your mom cooked for an army. "

"John, stop." My mom smacks him on the arm, then hopefully looks at me. "I thought you'd be hungry!" I smile at my parents and realize how much I've missed them, too.

"I'm hungry for a home-cooked meal." I lean in and kiss my mom on the cheek.

"See, I told you." My mom cups my cheek as she glowers at my dad.

As I walk through the door, I breathe in the familiar scent of home and allow myself to relax. Despite the nerves that are still swirling in my stomach, there's something comforting about being home.