8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jamie

The snow is lightly falling on the street as Sean and I are out for a run. After everything that happened with Evie last night, I need an outlet to let go of some of this pent-up energy. I keep second-guessing whether or not I should've actually kissed her. I wanted to. Really, really wanted to. But I wasn't sure what she wanted me to do.

Plus, I'm not sure kissing her in front of both our families is the wisest thing to do when I don't know what's going on. I know how I feel. I was stupid to leave the way I did. I have no clue what I was thinking that made me do that.

No, that's not true. I knew I was falling for Evie. How do you not fall for someone as amazing as Evie? And it terrified me. Not that I was afraid that anyone would disapprove; I knew that wouldn't be a problem. But what if I couldn't be the man Evie deserved? Most of my relationships are short-lived, and I'm honestly not sure why.

What if there is something wrong with me, and I hurt Evie because I'm not capable of being in a long-term relationship?

The contractor position came up at just the right time, and it gave me the reason I needed to stop what was happening between us. I still remember the confusion and hurt in her eyes as she looked at me when she realized that I wasn't just taking a job but ending things between us.

"That's great!" I hear Sean say from behind me. I stop jogging and turn around to glance at my best friend, who is looking at his phone about twenty feet behind me. When did he stop? I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't realize I was running solo.

I run in place as I turn to face him. "What's great?"

"Evie just sent a text letting me know that Jessica found her wedding dress." The smile on his face has his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I was starting to wonder if I was going to need to find someone to design and make one for her."

I shake my head and smile at him, thinking about my sister not having her gown until the last minute. It's so very Jessica.

"Of course, Evie had to torture me by telling me how absolutely stunning my soon-to-be wife looks." His anticipatory grin is evident as he walks to me while sliding his phone into the pocket of his sweats. "I can't wait to watch her walk down the aisle."

He gets next to me, and we start to jog again. We aren't running full out; this is a nice pace without it being too hard. My thoughts fly back to Evie again but are interrupted by more wedding talk and best man duties.

"Before then, though, I'll need your help setting up a few things."

"Anything. Just tell me what you need." There isn't anything that I wouldn't do to help this be the wedding of the decade for two of the most important people in my life.

"Well, there is the ice skating rink, with the fire pits and hot chocolate stands. Then there is the—"

"Wait! What?" I interrupt him, my voice rising in surprise. "Ice skating rink? Fire pits? Hot chocolate stands? Are we in one of your movies?"

"Jessica deserves a fairy tale," he says, his tone so serious I stop in my tracks and look at him. "And I intend to give it to her, but I'm gonna need yours and Evie's help."

He turns to me just as my mouth falls open, and I run my hand down my face. "I'm not sure Evie will be okay with that."

"Jess and I let her know that we needed her help already." His smirk makes me worried that he forgot to mention that I would be involved.

I don't say anything as I start jogging again. My heart is racing and not from the exercise. How is Evie going to feel about working side by side with me to make sure our siblings' wedding is the most romantic event of the year in Willow Falls when she can't seem to be next to me without getting angry?

My stomach flutters as I think about spending time with Evie alone, getting to talk, maybe explain myself, and why I left. Well, once I figure that out, that is. Then I remember her last night at the party and how she's probably angrier with me now than she was when I left.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on with you and my sister?" Sean's voice invades my thoughts again. He stops jogging and moves toward the bench on the sidewalk. He starts to stretch his legs out, but I know he's just stopping so that he can get a clear view of my face when he grills me.

"Nothing. I told you before that—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Both you and Evie keep telling us that nothing is going on, and yet I've never seen you or her so awkward around each other."

I run my hand through my hair and blow out a big breath. "It's—"

"Seriously!" Sean interrupts me. "I'm calling bull. My sister is never angry. And she was so angry last night that she couldn't control herself. Until the mistletoe."

I shake my head while I try to figure out how to answer him. How do I explain this situation to him? I guess I'll just start from the beginning. "When we were helping you with Jessica, something changed between us. But…"

"I KNEW IT!" Sean yells.

"But," I start again. "We never really talked about what actually ‘changed' or what it meant." Thinking back, we initially started to text more because we were helping Sean, but then we started texting more in general. I'd reach out and share something that I thought Evie would enjoy. She'd send me a text about something funny that happened at Bake My Day.

I started showing up at the bakery more frequently to visit. I found that I just couldn't stay away from her. Evie and I had always been friends, but it started to become more than just friends with Sean and Jess.

"Then I went to DC and told her I thought it would be smart to stop whatever it was."

"Ahhhhhh." A light of understanding shines in Sean's eyes as he grins. "You broke up with her."

"NO! We weren't dating," I protest. My heart slams against my ribcage as the truth of what he's saying hits me.

"Yes, you were." He says quietly. "Do you remember what you told me when I finally realized I was in love with Jessica?"

"I told you everyone already knew how you felt."

"Exactly." He slaps me on the back…hard. If I didn't know how enthusiastic Sean gets when he's planning something I would think he was angry with me. I massage as much of my back as I can reach as he continues. "We all knew something was going on with you and Evie. Granted, I was a bit distracted, but I noticed a change. You and Evie just seemed more…in tune. "

"In tune?" I ask, narrowing my eyes and tilting my head toward him. I sit on the bench, needing something solid underneath me for this conversation. Sean sits next to me.

"Yeah. You and Evie have always easily understood each other. You're both so similar, but something was different."

"It doesn't matter what ‘it' was." I use my fingers as air quotes, my head hanging. "It's obvious she hates me now."

Suddenly, Sean bursts out laughing, and I glare at him. He raises his hands up as if in surrender. "She doesn't hate you, she's hurt, Jamie. You all but ran across the country. Can't you see that from her perspective, you ran from her?"

I rest my elbows on my knees and drop my head in my hands. I groan as I realize he's right. "But how do I fix it? You saw her last night."

"Yeah, I saw that she wanted to kiss you, and you kissed her on the cheek." He laughs. "The look on her face had us all shocked. The control you showed was impressive but stupid."

"I know." I groan as I rub my hands up and down my face. "I'm so bad at this."

"You're not bad at this; it's just hard transitioning from friends to more. There is definitely something more between you. But I need to know something before I help you."

"Who said I want—"

"Of course you want my help," he interrupts, waving his hand in the air. "Are you in love with Evie?"

My stomach drops, and my mouth goes dry. Am I in love with Evie? Her smile flashes across my mind. Her laughter rings in my ears. A lightness comes over my body, and a smile spreads across my face. Yes, I am. Of course I am.

"Perfect." Sean slaps me again.

"Ouch! Can you stop hitting me so hard? Otherwise, I might start to think you're angry at me for falling for your sister." I rub my back again.

"Nah, but I am angry at you for hurting her." He grins sheepishly at me.

"Fair enough," I say, still rubbing my shoulder. "So what's the plan?"

"Maid of honor and best man duties." His smile is so big that I think his face might crack. I groan and rub both my hands up and down my face before running a hand through my hair.

"Don't worry. Jess and I got this." My eyes widen at him.

"Jessica is involved? Ugh." I shake my head. "This is a bad idea."

He laughs out loud, and I see his arm raise again out of the corner of my eye. I shift on the bench to get away from him at the fear of getting slapped again. He smiles before he gently puts his hand on my shoulder. "Just leave all the planning to us. This wedding is going to be so romantic that there isn't any way just you and Evie will be the only ones who end up together."

I roll my eyes. Great. I've just been cast in one of Sean O'Connell's romantic comedies with Evie as the leading lady. Despite that, my lips tug up at the corners, and I hope this plan works.

If I realized anything while I was away, it is that I never want to be without Evie again.