“What girlfriend?” I asked, confused.
Becca Lynn smiled brightly up at me, “The one you’ve grown up with all your life. Eva told me about her. “
Eva had told Becca I had a girlfriend? She’d used Low as the “girlfriend” so she wouldn’t actually be lying. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. She hadn’t wanted Becca to come in here. She’d been jealous.
I wasn’t waiting on her to give in and come to me. This wasn’t about any more games. I wanted to talk to Eva, now. I needed her to tell me everything. Even if I already knew it I wanted her to tell me. It was time she stopped running and faced her fears.
“Where are you going?” Becca Lynn asked and I glanced back at her now standing in my room topless and confused.
“Put your shirt on Becca Lynn and run on along.”
I didn’t wait for her to throw something at me or call me names. I’d heard all that before. I just wanted to find Eva.
Opening the barn doors, I looked back up at the porch and found her still sitting there. Our gazes locked and I motioned toward the lake with a tilt of my head even though it was a mile back on the land. I waited until she nodded in agreement then I headed for the truck. It was time we got this shit straightened out.
Eva
As soon as Cage pulled away in the truck, Becca Lynn came stomping out of the barn with a snarl on her face. Relief washed over me. When she’d gone in there I’d let one bad scenario after another play in my head until Cage had come out of the barn doors like he was on a mission. Knowing he wanted me to meet him down at the lake made the butterflies in my stomach act up.
“He’s a complete ass. I don’t know why I even bother.” Becca Lynn stalked past the porch toward her car.
“You leaving?” I asked just to be sure before I followed Cage.
“Yeah, I got crap to do. I’ll call you,” Becca replied.
Once she spun out of the driveway, I jumped up and ran for the truck but I stopped before I reached the door. Turning around I stared at the garage. My Jeep sat in there unused. I’d taken off my ring. It was time I drove my Jeep. Slowly, I made my way toward the garage. I wasn’t sure if the memories would prove too much for me. I pressed the code on the door and it raised and rolled back. My silver Jeep was nice and clean. I knew my dad paid Jeremy to take it out once every other week to wash it and make sure it cranked. I pretended like I didn’t know this just because confronting them about it would just make me remember.
The need to crumple to the ground and weep was gone. I only had fond memories to hold close. I walked around and opened the driver side door. “Guess it’s time to drive you again,” I whispered as I climbed behind the wheel and cranked it up. Country music blared from the radio and I smiled thinking about Jeremy blaring the music so he could hear it while he cleaned it.
I backed out of the drive and headed down to the lake without any problem. No moments of intense pain and loss. Just me and my Jeep.
I saw Cage’s truck as soon as I turned the corner behind the old maple trees. He was sitting on the tailgate waiting for me. His eyes widened in surprise as I pulled up beside him. He’d never seen my Jeep. All he’d seen me drive was one of dad’s old farm trucks. I smiled at his expression then hopped down and walked over to him.
“Nice wheels,” he said when I stopped in front of him.
“Thanks,” I replied, before pulling myself up to sit on the end of the tailgate with him.
“In case you’re curious, Becca Lynn stripped off her top after I asked her not to. I never went near her and I walked out on her. She’s probably pissed.”
I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “Yeah, she is.”
“You think that’s funny?” Cage asked trying to sound stern but the teasing tone in his voice was unmistakable.
“Yes. I do.”
Cage grinned then looked down at the ground. I knew he was waiting on me. He may have asked me to come out here but it was because he was still waiting on answers. He deserved them.
“I was engaged,” I started and couldn’t find the right words.
Cage didn’t pressure me but waited silently beside me.
“Josh died in Baghdad a year and a half ago,” I managed to say without choking up.
Cage didn’t turn his head to look at me. There was no pity and no empty condolences. I wasn’t sure what I expected from him but his calm acceptance of this wasn’t it.
“I know. Jeremy told me the Friday before your drunken escapade.”
Jeremy had told him? Why?