Page 89 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

“I’m glad we don’t have any visitors right now. What a disaster that could’ve been. You’re staying here tonight.” He pointed toward his bedroom. “You take my bed, and I’ll sleep out here.”

“If you say so.” She set the mug down and rested against the sofa, her leg still pressing against his. “Can I ask you something?”

He angled his body toward her. “Sure.”

She picked up the blanket and hugged it against her body. “You mentioned that your ex insisted you sign up for the Family Tree website. How long were you together before you broke up?”

Oh boy.He should have known this question would eventually come up. He studied the earnestness in Everleigh’s face, and for some reason, he didn’t mind telling her the truth—thewholetruth—about Serena. “Almost five years.” Her eyes looked like they might bug out of her head, and he couldn’t stop his laugh. “Are you shocked I could maintain a relationship that long, darlin’?”

“Um, yeah. Kinda.” She laughed, and he enjoyed the sweet sound. But her smile faded. “It had to have been painful when you broke up after such a long time. What happened?”

“You really want to hear the sad and sordid tale?”

She folded up her legs, then rested her elbows on her knees and her chin on her palms. “I’m ready.”

He laughed and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I met her on a blind date when I moved to Alabama. I fell head over heels quickly because I was an idiot. She encouraged me to follow my dream of opening my own restaurant, and I encouraged her to follow her dream of going to law school. She convinced me to partner with her cousin at the restaurant, and I helped her pay her tuition. Next thing I knew, I was in hog heaven. I had everything I ever wanted.” He counted them off on his fingers. “I had her, I had my restaurant, and we had a bright future—or so I thought. I took out a loan,bought a ring I couldn’t afford, and proposed. And that’s when it all fell apart.”

Everleigh’s mouth dropped open. “You were engaged?”

“Wait. You haven’t heard the best part yet.” He gave her a sardonic smile. “Now remember I told you I was paying her tuition, right?”

Everleigh nodded.

“I was running a business, paying her tuition,andhelping with her rent. I was spread way too thin. And then three weeks before the wedding...” He held up three fingers. “Three weeks! She decided she wasn’t ready to get married. She came to me all crying and upset with some nonsense excuse. We argued, and she threw the ring at me. Then her stupid cousin, who I never wanted to partner with, sent my restaurant into a tailspin. He knew nothing about running a business. Ruined our relationships with all of our vendors. Didn’t pay our bills. We didn’t have enough to cover payroll, and it all went up in smoke.”

He threw his hands up in the air. “Poof! I was grateful I was able to return the ring and get some of my money back. But that was when I came home to Coral Cove with my tail between my legs. I had no money, no future, nothing to my name except for my motorcycle. I had to move back in with my parents at the age of thirty-one. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?”

Everleigh’s beautiful face was full of sympathy.

“Alana was generous enough to give me a chance to start over, and I’m so grateful for it. I love the inn and what I do here.” He paused and took a breath. “And now you know everything.” To his surprise, sharing the story with her had been cathartic. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest.

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” She reached over and took his hands in hers. “Your ex has no idea what she lost.”

Her words warmed him from the inside out. “Thanks, but it also taught me a valuable lesson.”

“What’s that?”

“Not to trust people.”

“Not everyone is like her.”

“But many people are. That’s why I’m done with romance, love, and all that. It only leads to heartache. Why set yourself up for disappointment when you’re better off on your own?”

She clucked her tongue. “Why would you cut yourself off like that, Cade Witherspoon?” She squinted slightly as she studied him. “You don’t ever plan to settle down and have a family?”

“Probably not.” He shook his head. “I let that dream die when I left Alabama.”

“That’s a shame.”

Questions about Everleigh and her past spun in his mind. “How much have you dated?” he asked.

“Not much since college. It’s not easy maintaining relationships when you move every thirteen weeks.”

He recalled Trevor dropping her off last Saturday, and his spine went rigid. “What about Trevor?”

“Cade...” She sighed.

“Do you like him?” He held his breath, dreading her response.

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