Page 16 of Forever Wild
“So sorry I invaded your fortress.” She stomps over to a lounge chair and grabs her towel and beach bag. Her march back has the same haughtiness, but she stops in front of me and pulls something from the bag.
“Here.” She shoves a plastic container at me. “I made you more cookies. I hope you choke on them.”
She circles wide around me and heads for the back door.
“Not gonna jump the fence again?”
She lifts one arm over her head and flips me off as she keeps going, disappearing into my house.
I blow out a long breath. The girl makes my blood pressure rise. Getting fresh air seems pointless now.
As I’m stepping into the house, my phone rings. I’m half expecting it to be Everly calling to yell at me some more. And when I see who it is, I wish it were.
Bracing myself, I set Ev’s cookies on the kitchen island, then accept the call and bring it to my ear. “Hey, Dad.”
It is not my dad who replies. “Jackie boy. It’s John.”
“Coach.” My brows pull together as I recognize my old hockey coach’s voice. “Everything okay?”
It’s a stupid question. Things are never okay when he or my dad calls.
“Your dad is here. A new bartender overserved him and we’re having a hard time getting him to leave. I hate to call you, I know you’re dealing with a lot right now, but I really don’t want to have to call the police.”
Fuck.
“Don’t call them. I’m on my way,” I say, searching for my keys and finding them on the front entryway table.
“I’ll do my best to keep him calm and happy until then.”
“Thanks.” I hang up and shove my phone in my pocket. It isn’t until I walk outside to get in my SUV that I remember I can’t/shouldn’t drive.
Dammit. I could call an Uber but by the time it gets here, I could already be halfway to my dad.
My eyes lift from my vehicle to the car behind it.Everly.
She’s changed, or rather pulled on a short, white dress over the wet bikini. She tosses her bag in the back and then glares at me.
“I’m leaving. Geez. You don’t need to follow me and shoo me off your property.”
“I need you to drive me somewhere.”
She just stares at me, squinting slightly like she’s not sure she heard me right.
I unlock my SUV and open the door for her. I haven’t even driven it yet. My last one was totaled. James went with me to pick this one up and bring it home. It still has that new car smell.
Everly doesn’t move. Instead, she continues to look at me skeptically.
“Please? It’s not far, but I shouldn’t drive yet.”
She opens the driver’s side door of her car. “Maybe you can finally take that walker out for a spin.”
Fuck. I hate needing people and right now I need Everly to do this for me.
“You can use the pool again tomorrow. No scaling the fence necessary.”
She doesn’t look as tempted by my offer as I hoped.
“Tomorrow and the day after.”
