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Chapter Seven

EVA

I hadall my attention on my daddy had helped o withThen we’d drove up to his hunting caether

Jere to step in and help Give Daddy less to do and also I was able to keep an eye on hi Jereht and then alk outside and sit on the swing and talk It helped more than I think he realized I needed to talk about it and although Cage called everyday I didn’t want to make our talks all about me and my issues I wanted him to telltime with his new teammates and he really seemed to like the school I was happy for hiht I was able to escape

He always asked ue I left those talks to Jere on and I didn’t e would hate that if he knew but I wanted him to enjoy his summer at Tennessee I didn’t want to ruin this for hi to be around to talk to though He’d said during dinner that he was going hoe then head out to Becca Lynn’s lake Apparently she was having a party down there I hadn’t been to one of those since last summer I also hadn’t seen much of Becca Lynn since last summer She hadn’t come around much Jeremy said that he’d told Becca about my dad and he didn’t think she knehat to say to me I wasn’t real surprised

I put the last dish froo down to the swing by ive ain today I’d seen him bent over down by the lake Jereo Daddy didn’t want me to see him like that So, I’d stayed there helpless I had wanted to cry but I hadn’t Now I could

The night breeze lifted my hair as I stepped out onto the porch I loved the smell of the summertime on the farm Except maybe with the breeze came from the North Because then the sht the breeze was a south wind and I could al my heart ached when I looked over at the barn It reht He always did We would talk for a couple of hours Most of the tiht was bright tonight so sitting out here alone on the sasn’t that bad The tears I’d fought all day didn’t coot out there alone and settled

"Got room for one more?" I jumped startled by Jeremy’s voice I hadn’t heard hi here?" I asked scooting over so he could sit down

"I was headed to the lake but I couldn’t do it I kept picturing you sitting out here on this swing alone and well my truck turned around all on its own and here I a up his life to holdearly this tiirl and skinny-dip Don’t sit here with ht about it but well I realized I’d really rather be here sitting with you"

I wasn’t sure what to think about that comment I knew Jeremy loved me I knew he cared about me but as a friend I wasn’t someone he held any deeper emotions for So why did that sound so odd? Why would he want to be here withwith so again for ain," I told him in a stern voice

He chuckled and leaned back in the swing "Not giving up anything I just like your corew therown them too

"Is today the first tiet sick like that since the last time it happened The day of his doctor’s appointment?" I had to knoanted to be prepared

Jere him close Momma wants y’all to coiven her about what she said about Cage She ad She’s real sorry and wants to apologize to you in person"

Jeree She’d stepped in when it wasn’t her business But I believed in forgiveness Life was too short

"I love your ive her I’d love to have dinner over at your house I know Daddy would too"

"Good I’ll tell her and she can stop harping on it She’s been asking for a week now and I keep lying to her about it"

I glanced over at hi until I felt like you were ready for that"

I started to reply when e

I’ll be out late tonight Talk to you tomorrow Love you

That eird No call or explanation

"What’s wrong?" Jeremy asked

I didn’t want him to see this I wanted to think about it alone It bothered e didn’t have to callto spend time with his new friends That was okay It hat he needed to do I didn’t want him to feel alone there He needed people to spend time with It was selfish of ht He wanted me to know he’d be out late" That was all he needed to know

"He loves you, Eva" Jere to hide it

"I know he does I just miss him," I replied

"Just six more days until you see him

CAGE

Where the fuck was uys tonight Ace was et et an apartot here But that hadn’t happened Coach had insisted that I live with Ace He was supposed to helpa place of asback and forth to Alaba for Ace I had had my damn phone e left the apartment I’d stuck it in o check Ace’s car I also needed to get he hell out of here This is not what I had agreed to coether Not a party with a bunch of strippers walking around topless Fuck If Eva kneas here she’d be furious