alone.”
“Come again?”
“That’s what she said,” Ethan piped in.
“I swear he’s your twin,” Gavin groaned.
“Sorry, I have one of those already.”
Gavin sat down in the seat across from mine. He leaned forward on his elbows, glancing over my shoulder to Jared. “Yeah, I know. I also know that you’re not going to Amarillo alone. Jared and I will be joining you.”
I laughed. What else was I supposed to do? This had to be a joke after all. There was no way on this planet, or even Hell, that I would let Jared come along. “I don’t think so. I refuse to have him” -I pointed toward Jared- “come with me.”
“Think all you want, but we’re coming.”
I weighed him carefully. Gavin had on his professional face. He was serious.
“No. Absolutely not. I’m going there to win her back, and I’ll be damned if I let Jared ruin it.”
“Jared isn’t out to sabotage you. He knows McKenzie doesn’t love him. I trust him, Drew, as should you.”
“I wasn’t born yesterday. There’s no way I’d trust him.”
“Why not?” Jared asked.
I cocked my head sideways. Jared slipped his phone into the pocket of his jeans, leaning against the door jam. “Because, you love her.”
Jared pushed off the frame, taking a step back into the loft. “It’s because I love her that I protect her. I’m not out to take your place. Believe me; I know how she feels about me and about you. Every Monday, I get a phone call from her and I have to listen to her go on and on about the flowers and note you sent her. And today, I had to endure her speculations about you calling her at work, which by the look on your face, I assume she’s correct.”
My stomach dropped. He knew. All this time Jared knew about my little secret.
“It breaks my heart to see her hurting. She misses you. She misses being here. This was home to her, no matter what she says about Texas being her roots. This is where she belongs, and I agree with Gavin. It’s time for you to go bring her home.”
“Then let me go alone.”
Jared shook his head, taking another step. “That’s a bad idea. McKenzie will feel as though you’re bombarding her. She’ll shut you out. She’ll run again. Deep down, you know I’m right. With me along, she’ll accept it as a friendly visit.”
“And I’m going along to give you both an alibi.”
“An alibi?” I asked. “Why do we need an alibi?”
“Because your baby momma will buy the story of us going on a bachelor getaway,” Gavin announced; a hint of smugness colored his tone.
I turned my eyes heavenward, and signed in resignation. There was no arguing with him. Gavin and Jared were a force to be reckoned with, and I’d be a fool to try.
“Okay. If we can get you guys on the flights, I guess you’re going.”
“Done,” Ethan broke in.
“Huh?” I blinked, taking in Ethan’s pompous expression.
“While you ladies were dealing with your PMS issues, I did my job and booked their reservations.” He waved his phone around. Even at a distance, I could see the confirmation page for American Airlines. Jared and Gavin were officially joining me to Amarillo. My gut screamed that this was a bad idea; that trusting Jared was a fool’s move, but I had no other choice.
I raised my hands in defeat. “I guess that means you’re coming with me.”
“As if you had a choice,” Gavin stated, patting my shoulder.
Jared dropped down in the seat oppo site of me, passing me his phone. “You should read this.”
I glanced down at the phone. Jared opened a text thread, revealing his conversation between him and Mickie.
McKenzie Evans
Mon, 6/12/12
9:14 PM
Every time I tell myself I did the right thing by walking away, I find some reason to prove myself wrong. Everything reminds me of him. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I keep telling myself that time and distance will make this feeling
“Come again?”
“That’s what she said,” Ethan piped in.
“I swear he’s your twin,” Gavin groaned.
“Sorry, I have one of those already.”
Gavin sat down in the seat across from mine. He leaned forward on his elbows, glancing over my shoulder to Jared. “Yeah, I know. I also know that you’re not going to Amarillo alone. Jared and I will be joining you.”
I laughed. What else was I supposed to do? This had to be a joke after all. There was no way on this planet, or even Hell, that I would let Jared come along. “I don’t think so. I refuse to have him” -I pointed toward Jared- “come with me.”
“Think all you want, but we’re coming.”
I weighed him carefully. Gavin had on his professional face. He was serious.
“No. Absolutely not. I’m going there to win her back, and I’ll be damned if I let Jared ruin it.”
“Jared isn’t out to sabotage you. He knows McKenzie doesn’t love him. I trust him, Drew, as should you.”
“I wasn’t born yesterday. There’s no way I’d trust him.”
“Why not?” Jared asked.
I cocked my head sideways. Jared slipped his phone into the pocket of his jeans, leaning against the door jam. “Because, you love her.”
Jared pushed off the frame, taking a step back into the loft. “It’s because I love her that I protect her. I’m not out to take your place. Believe me; I know how she feels about me and about you. Every Monday, I get a phone call from her and I have to listen to her go on and on about the flowers and note you sent her. And today, I had to endure her speculations about you calling her at work, which by the look on your face, I assume she’s correct.”
My stomach dropped. He knew. All this time Jared knew about my little secret.
“It breaks my heart to see her hurting. She misses you. She misses being here. This was home to her, no matter what she says about Texas being her roots. This is where she belongs, and I agree with Gavin. It’s time for you to go bring her home.”
“Then let me go alone.”
Jared shook his head, taking another step. “That’s a bad idea. McKenzie will feel as though you’re bombarding her. She’ll shut you out. She’ll run again. Deep down, you know I’m right. With me along, she’ll accept it as a friendly visit.”
“And I’m going along to give you both an alibi.”
“An alibi?” I asked. “Why do we need an alibi?”
“Because your baby momma will buy the story of us going on a bachelor getaway,” Gavin announced; a hint of smugness colored his tone.
I turned my eyes heavenward, and signed in resignation. There was no arguing with him. Gavin and Jared were a force to be reckoned with, and I’d be a fool to try.
“Okay. If we can get you guys on the flights, I guess you’re going.”
“Done,” Ethan broke in.
“Huh?” I blinked, taking in Ethan’s pompous expression.
“While you ladies were dealing with your PMS issues, I did my job and booked their reservations.” He waved his phone around. Even at a distance, I could see the confirmation page for American Airlines. Jared and Gavin were officially joining me to Amarillo. My gut screamed that this was a bad idea; that trusting Jared was a fool’s move, but I had no other choice.
I raised my hands in defeat. “I guess that means you’re coming with me.”
“As if you had a choice,” Gavin stated, patting my shoulder.
Jared dropped down in the seat oppo site of me, passing me his phone. “You should read this.”
I glanced down at the phone. Jared opened a text thread, revealing his conversation between him and Mickie.
McKenzie Evans
Mon, 6/12/12
9:14 PM
Every time I tell myself I did the right thing by walking away, I find some reason to prove myself wrong. Everything reminds me of him. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I keep telling myself that time and distance will make this feeling
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