Page 35 of Wicked & Wildflower

Everett gives me a soft smile.

I force myself to return it as I say, “Lou just asked me if you’d come get ice cream with us. I think she likes having you around.”

His face brightens at that. “Of course, I’ll come.”

I sigh. “Do you see my point, though? She’s beginning to trust you. I don’t want her to have expectations of you—or anyone else—that aren’t reasonable.” I glance down at the sand, afraid to meet his gaze. “Sometimes, it’s just easier to keep the distance.”

I’m grateful I looked away when Everett responds in a rough tone, “Why do you assume it’s unreasonable of her to trust that I’ll protect her? That we—as a family—can give her comfort and stability?” I hear him shuffle toward me, pausing until I lift my head to look at him. “You allow her to lean on Leo that way.”

“Leo’s marrying her aunt. He’ll be her uncle.”

His face straightens, his commanding presence towering over me. “Exactly. And he’s my fucking brother.” His arm flutters in the direction of the boardwalk. “We own a business together. He’s my best friend. I’m not going anywhere, Dahlia. You can ask things of me, and so can your daughter.” His eyes bore into me, as if ensuring I absorb every word. “It’s not unreasonable.”

The intensity in them is too strong, too honest. I want to look away, but I can’t. I can’t ever seem to take my eyes off him when he looks at me this way.

“I don’t want to feel like anyone’s obligation,” I whisper.

“You aren’t!” His jaw tightens and his eyes flare. I feel myself shrink beneath his presence, and as if he can see it happen, his voice instantly softens. “I’m sorry.” He runs a hand through his hair. “You aren’t.” I only shrug as we stare down on the beach, unsure of where to go from here. After a moment of tense silence, Everett finally sighs. “Did you know I lost my best friend three years ago?”

I can’t hide the surprise on my face at that, but I nod. “I know. I’m sorry.”

He sucks his lip between his teeth, as if he can’t decide whether or not to tell me whatever is running through his head right now. On a breath, he finally says, “When that happened, I didn’t just lose Zach. We all lost…everything. Zach’s brother,August— He won’t hardly talk to me anymore. Talk toanyone. And my sister…” he scoffs. “I lost her too. Three of the people I love most in the world,” he snaps his fingers, “just like that.”

I open my mouth, but words don’t come. Telling him I’m sorry doesn’t feel like enough.

“Do you know how lonely my mother has been since Elena moved to New York? How big of a gap she has had in her heart? My sister hardly calls. She’s basically a ghost at this point. She’s mytwin. So, trust me when I tell you how deep her absence runs inside my soul too.”

I don’t understand where all of this is coming from, but it feels as if the words are something he’s held in for far too long. I say nothing, but I reach across the arms-length between the two of us, running my hand across his skin, a silent plea for him to continue.

“We’ve all been broken down. Lost and wandering is what it feels like. Then, a few months ago, Leo got that letter.” His eyes are on the place where our skin meets, but they snap up to meet my face. “A letteryousent him. It was the first sign of life in his eyes that I’d seen in years, the first scrap of motivation or determination to do anything, like he suddenly found his purpose again.” He nods down the beach, where his brother and my sister walk hand-in-hand through the water, my daughter at their side. “She was that purpose. And my mom? I haven’t heard her gush and beam about anyone the way she does you three in years, maybe ever. Your presence, you giving her the ability to form a relationship with Lou, that brought her back to life. She has been brighter since knowing you.”

Everett faces me, but I watch his eyes lose focus. I don’t know what’s going through his mind as he whispers, “And I haven’t found that purpose yet. My purpose for healing.” Suddenly, all that intensity—all that focus—is concentrated on me. “But you know what, Dahlia? Taking that kid out on a surfboard andwatching her laugh, watchingyoulaugh because of it,” he smiles to himself, “it certainly feels like the sun is shining after years of cloud cover.” He sets his hand over where I hold his arm, and I only now realize how tightly I’m gripping him. “So you’re not a fucking obligation. You, your sister, and your daughter, you are exactly what we’ve all been needing.”

Those words—this moment—stretch between us, like an eternity of emotion. I let them soak into my skin and bones. I let myself begin to believe them, because as I look into those sunlit brown eyes, I see only honesty, only conviction.

“I need you to take me as your date to the Hayes Foundation Banquet,” I find myself blurting, still attempting to process everything he just said and form some kind of response, though thatcertainlywas not it. I clamp and hand over my mouth. “I mean… I–” I shake my head. “It wasn’t supposed to come out that way.”

Everett’s face lights up with surprised laughter. “You’re always intriguing me, Wildflower.” He softly brushes my hand and spins me so I face the pier. Placing a hand at the center of my back, he guides us forward. “Tell me how exactly that was supposed to come out.”

His laugh skates along my skin, instant relief settling over me at the sound. We begin walking along the waves, but his hand doesn’t leave my back. “The call I got last week was from Jason, Lou’s dad.”

“I put that together,” Everett says quietly.

“My dad got in contact with him.” Everett pauses but waits for me to continue. “Informed him that I moved away without telling him. He somehow convinced Jason—who hasn’t seen his child in almost three years—that he needs to be involved now.” Suddenly, my throat is feeling tight as I try to speak. “They’re like…” I swallow a lump of emotion. “Banding together to try and… I don’t even know what the motive is, really. I guess to tryand make Darby and I move back to Kansas, using mychildas their pawn.”

I don’t know how or why the words spill out so easily, but those softening brown eyes may just be the reason.

“Your father is a horrible person,” he says with conviction. I can only nod in agreement. “Is it possible Lou’s dad has changed? That maybe you leaving made him realize what he’d been missing?”

I shrug. “That’s the thing. It could be, but I don’t trust him enough to pack my life up again. I don’t even trust them enough to visit. I don’t need to uproot my daughter for the second time, only to find out Jason doesn’t care at all and…” I trail off.

“Have Lou end up hurt,” he finishes for me.

I nod.

“It’s not an easy position to be in.” I feel his fingers flex at the base of my spine, his way of providing some sort of comfort to me. “I think all you can do is your best, though, and take comfort in knowing that your best is good enough. She knows how much you love her, and someday, she’ll understand how much you’ve sacrificed for her. Whether he’s in her life or not, she’ll know how loved she is.”

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I don’t. Idofind myself shifting a bit closer to him as I absorb his words. How he innately seems to understand what I need to hear, I have no idea. After a few minutes of silently allowing the sea to lap against our feet, Everett asks, “So how does all of this tie into me being your boyfriend?”

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