Abbie and I laugh.
“Hell, let’s go to Clarke’s.” I finish my wine and stand. “Thank goodness we can walk there.”
“We’ll freeze our asses off,” Abbie comments. “But it will probably sober us up a bit.”
Averly’s phone buzzes as we all stand, and her eyes widen. “Oh. My. God. I’m going to kill him.”
“What happened?” We all ask in unison.
Averly turns her phone around to show us a picture of Eli at Clarke’s with Mason in a baby carrier.
“Is that… No way,” Poppy says.
“He took our baby to a bar!” Averly calls out.
“You have a baby…in a bar,” I say, imitating Sweet Home Alabama. “I’ve always wanted a reason to say that,” I chuckle.
“When you have a baby, I’m going to take him or her to a bar,” Averly points at me.
“It’s still early. Clarke’s is a restaurant, too,” Poppy says calmly. “It’s not like he’s at a strip club with a baby.”
“Thank fuck for that,” Averly mumbles.
“Okay, so out we go,” Poppy pushes us out the door. “We’ve got a baby to save from the guys.”
“And more wine to drink,” Abbie cheers. “Finn is so getting lucky tonight,” she waggles her eyebrows.
“Ugh,” Averly groans. “That’s still my brother, Abbie.”
We all laugh as we walk out of Poppy and Harris’s apartment and head toward Clarke’s.
I loop my arm in Abbie’s and walk with her, careful not to slide on the ice. The town is covered in snow, the blowing wind is chilly, and my ears are frozen and feel like they might fall off at any second, but I love this place.
Abbie tugs my arm, and I look at her with narrowed eyes. “You’ll meet someone great,” she whispers with a small smile. Leave it to my super sweet, shy best friend to make everything feel better with a few simple words.
“Yeah,” I sigh. I know I’ll one day meet a great guy, but I also know I need to stop comparing them all to my teenage love. It’s unrealistic. Life is different when you’re a teenager than when you’re an adult. I can’t expect the ease of my relationship with Easton to be found in an adult relationship.
She leans her head on my shoulder before looking up at the lit sign that reads Clarke’s.
“Go on and get your man,” I slap her butt, and she giggles.
Abbie walks in before me, heading straight to Finn. Never in a million years did I think those two would be tying the knot. Maybe I’m looking for love in all the wrong places.
All of our friends are at Clarke’s. It would’ve been a shame to stay in Poppy’s house and miss a Saturday night out with them.
“How’s Lia feeling?” I ask Ainsley, a friend of ours who is also Knox Bentley’s wife. Lia is her sister-in-law, married to Axel, Knox’s brother. They had their first child last month.
“Great. Lack of sleep, but they’re over the moon,” Ainsley smiles wide.
“And how are you?” I rub her swollen belly. “Awesome. Honestly, so far, it’s been a great pregnancy,” Ainsley says. “I know I still have two trimesters to go, but I can’t complain.”
“When do you find out the gender?”
“Next month! I can’t wait.” She shakes with excitement.
“You’ll have to tell us, or are you going to do a gender reveal?” I lift my eyebrows.
“I don’t know. We haven’t decided yet. I’m not big on those huge parties just to share if the baby is a boy or girl, but we might do something with our families.”
“I can’t wait to know.” I smile and grab the wine glass Abbie hands me.
“I do miss wine,” Ainsley sighs.
“But it’s totally worth it,” I add.
“Oh, yeah.” She nods.
I scan the bar, watching as my friends talk and cuddle with their partners. It sucks being the last single gal left. I wouldn’t be surprised if at any minute I’ll get a surprise invitation to participate in The Bachelorette. I wouldn’t put it past my friends to sign me up and leave it as a surprise.
Let’s hope not. I’ll be happy with a man who knows how to work with his hands, doesn’t speak with his mouth full, or pick his teeth. Is that so much to ask for?
I look out at the crowd before turning toward the conversation behind me, and I freeze. I’m stuck in place, my mouth dropping open on a small gasp and my hand squeezing the wine glass so hard, it’s threatening to crack.
I can’t believe this.
Easton
I’d be lying if I said buying back the ranch I grew up on had nothing to do with the woman staring at me like she saw a ghost from across the bar. I was not expecting to see her so soon. My beer bottle is halfway to my mouth, and I bet my eyes are as wide as hers.
She’s always been the one that got away.
I haven’t been back to Everton in thirteen years, and it’s been as long since I’ve seen the one woman I’ve never been able to forget. I wasn’t sure what it would be like to see her again. If I’d feel something for her like I thought I would. What our minds create versus our reality are two very different things, but in this case, I’m positive by the way my heart thumps my feelings for her are still there.
“Hey, man.” Camden, my best friend, taps my shoulder.
“Huh?” I turn to look at him.
“Who caught your eye?” He smiles with mischief. Camden and I have been friends since college, and he insisted on coming with me to Everton to see the infamous town I always talk about and why I’d give up my life in Virginia to return here.
It’s simple—I never meant to stay on the east coast for so long. My plan was always to return to the place that raised me, my true home, but life got in the way, and before I knew it, I was thirty-one years old and stuck in the corporate world.
“No one.” I look at him, turning my gaze away from Faith.
Faith. We were young, but I would’ve given everything to be with her. I may have been a seventeen-year-old punk back then, yet I’m sure I loved her. I never doubted that.
Now, we have years, unspoken words, and loss separating us. Even if I live in the same town.
“Who’s that?” I follow Camden’s line of vision to see who he’s talking about.
“I don’t know. It’s been years since I’ve been here. I only remember a few people.” I play it off when I realize he’s staring in Faith’s direction.
“Isn’t that Knox Bentley? The country singer?” Camden points toward the group of people with Faith, and I slam his arm down.
“What the fuck?” He turns to look at me with wide eyes.
“Don’t point. It’s rude,” I play it off.
“Bullshit. And that is Knox Bentley.”
Before I can reply, Camden is walking toward Knox. I stay planted in place, only realizing what’s happening when he points back at me and then calls for me to join him.
“Easton,” Poppy gasps, her head swooshing around to look at Faith, who is avoiding my eyes.
“Hey,” I wave at all the curious eyes staring at me.
“Man, it’s been a long time,” Finn, Averly’s brother, says, shaking my hand.
“Yeah, quite a few years.” I nod, sticking my hands in my pockets. I don’t miss the way Poppy and Averly look between Faith and me.
“It’s like we said his name, and he appeared. I wonder if it works with others? Sam Hunt!” I chuckle at Poppy’s comment, meant to be discreet but loud enough for all of us to hear. I don’t miss the part where she said they were talking about me. I guess I’m not as foreign a thought as I believed, which makes me happy as hell.
“Nope,” she mumbles on a groan, and a man pulls her to his side, reaching his hand out to me.
“I’m Harris, Poppy’s fiancé, and disappointingly enough, not Sam Hunt,” Harris smiles. I shake his hand and introduce myself.
After meeting Harris and Ainsley, Knox’s wife, I catch up with the group.
“How’s Axel?” I ask Knox. Axel and I used to be friends. He’
s only a couple years older than me, and we were on the football team together growing up.
“He’s great, just had a baby. You remember Lia Montgomery?” Knox asks.
“Don’t tell me they finally got together.” I raise my eyebrows.
“Yup. I think the whole town sighed in relief when that happened,” Knox chuckles.
“Good for them.” I nod with a smile. Those two were inseparable growing up.
“How are you? Still living in Virginia?” I’m grateful for Knox’s conversation so I can avoid the pairs of eyes that are glued to me. None belong to the woman I loved all those years ago.
“I actually just bought our ranch. It went up on the market, and I jumped on it before anyone could make an offer.”
“Good for you,” Finn says.
“Yeah, I’ve been eyeing it. So… You two?” I ask with raised eyebrows, pointing between Abbie and Finn.
“Getting married soon.” He smiles proudly.
“Wow, congrats.” That’s an unlikely pair, but they look happy.
“And you two?” I point at Averly and Eli. I know Eli from around town, but I don’t know him well enough. When I moved, Averly was dating Patrick in high school.
“Yup, the baby’s ours, too. No The Hangover moment where we stole a baby,” Averly says awkwardly on a chuckle.
I also chuckle. “Good to know,” I nod, amused. “Hey, how’s Gavin?” I ask Abbie about her cousin. “I’m gonna have to catch up with him. Are he and Hadley still…” I trail off when Abbie shakes her head firmly and frowns.
“Oh.”
“They got married but ended up getting divorced. He has a daughter, though, and recently got remarried to the sweetest girl,” Abbie smiles.
“Wow. I always thought…”
“Yeah, we all did, but he’s happy now. How are you?” Abbie asks.
I smile at the people I grew up with, remembering them as kids and teenagers, not able to ignore the fact that we all made lives after I moved.
“I’m good, honestly.” I smirk. “It’s crazy to be back here.” I look around Clarke’s. I remember coming here with my family for lunch and dinner some nights. It was always a treat.
My life changed when I moved to Virginia. At first, it was hard as hell. I wanted nothing more than to return to Everton. I even threatened my parents that I was going to jump on a plane and come back alone. I was known as the cowboy in the city, and although Charlottesville is not that big in comparison to other cities, it felt huge coming from a town with no more than 1200 people. But then I discovered the Blue Ridge Mountains and my talent for basketball, and my life got better.
“So, you’re back for good?” Finn raises his eyebrows.
“Yeah.”
“Excuse me,” Faith finally speaks up before running off to the bathroom.
We all stare at her retreating form. My heart pumps wildly as I watch her go.
“She’s in shock.” Poppy shrugs apologetically. “I’ll be right back.” She smiles at her fiancé before going after Faith, Averly and Abbie following closely behind.
“I’m missing something here,” Ainsley’s eyebrows pull together as she stares at me.
“Yeah, babe, you are.” Knox pulls her into his side and chuckles against her head.
“Faith and I used to date,” I tell her with a tight smile.
“Ooohhhhh…” She nods slowly. “That makes more sense.”
“No, shit. Is that the girl you’re always talking about?” Camden slaps my shoulder.
I glare at him, questioning why I thought it would be a good idea to let him come to Everton with me. Long drive, I remind myself.
“Sooo… You still talk about her?” Ainsley’s eyebrows move up and down on her forehead. I chuckle and shake my head before turning to look at the bathroom, wondering what is running through Faith’s mind. Is her reaction a tell-tale sign that she’s as affected by me as I still am by her? Is there a chance for us after all these years?
I figured I’d run into her, maybe have a chance to announce my move to her in a different way. Not in the middle of a crowded bar surrounded by her friends.
Like Camden said, she’s the woman I’ve always talked about. Always wondered what would have happened had I come back sooner. By the looks of it, she’s single. Either that or she’s dating someone who works Saturday evenings. I don’t like the idea of that, but it has been years since we’ve talked, let alone seen each other.
She’s gotten more beautiful and has matured from the girl she was back then. We both have. I expected her to make a life for herself without me in it.
Faith and I were only beginning our high school sweethearts love story, but it was cut short before either of us wanted it to end. My parents guaranteed me that I’d move on, and sure, I had other girlfriends, but none made me feel the way Faith did. Maybe I can chalk it up to innocence or first love, but I never got the opportunity to figure that out.
“I’m gonna go,” I look at the group of people in front of me. “Got a lot to do tomorrow.”
“If you need any help with the ranch, let me know,” Finn offers. “I’m sure Gavin will be happy to help, too.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. I do want to see Gavin.” I wave and walk out of Clarke’s, despite Camden’s argument about staying out for another drink.
“That’s Faith, huh?” His cocky smirk annoys me.
“Yeah,” I bite out.
“The number one reason you bought that ranch and are giving up your dream job to move back here…” He looks around the center of town where Clarke’s sits.
“It’s not my dream job anymore,” I say through clenched teeth.
“It was.”
“Yeah, it was,” I nod, “but I got tired of it. I got tired of a life that was shoved at me and not the life I had always dreamed about. I knew I’d go to college and get a degree, but I also knew I’d return here, run the ranch, and live the same life as my dad and my grandpa before him. It’s what I knew, what I was raised on. Hell, it’s what runs through my veins. So yes, I moved back to see if I could get the girl, see if she was still here to catch, but it’s about more than that. It’s about me going back to being me. Not wearing a suit and tie that chokes me, or putting on a smile and greeting assholes I can’t stand.”
I run a hand through my hair and expel a deep breath through my mouth. I’ve been living that life for so long, I’ve lost sight of what I truly want and what my real dreams are. Now, I’m going to fight for them, even if it means starting a ranch from scratch.
“You’re still going to work as a lawyer,” Camden reminds me.
“Yeah, but at Town Hall with Mr. Powell. No suits if I don’t want to. I’ll have time to ranch, get a horse, do whatever the fuck I want.”
“And get the girl,” he reminds me.
“Yeah,” I sigh.
Faith McGraw will always be the girl that got away. Now, I’m back to get her, and I hope like hell nothing stands in my way.
Faith
What in God’s name happened last night? One moment I’m having fun with my friends and the next I see a mirage of the man I’ve been trying to forget. Except, it wasn’t a mirage. It was Easton Locke in the flesh before me, talking about moving back to Everton and buying his family’s ranch.
I rub my eyes and groan, my headache increasing with each breath I take. If I lie really, really still, I’ll feel better, and the room will stop spinning. I’m sure of it.
I grimace as nausea rises. Let it be the last time I get drunk because of a man—or any reason, really. What am I, twenty-one again?
All I remember is that Easton was gone when I came back from the bathroom, but I was still feeling the punch to the gut from seeing him. When Averly suggested a shot, I yanked it from her hand and downed it.
It wasn’t pretty. And now I’m paying for it. So. Damn. Bad.
I take a deep breath, hoping to keep down any liquor threatening to make an escape. The problem with alcohol—besides the obvious hangover�
�is that it doesn’t really make you forget. You just blackout for a few hours, and when you wake up, the memory of what you were trying to erase is even more obvious—with the bonus of a splitting headache that feels like your head is being squeezed by metal clamps.
Ugh. My stomach rolls, so I lurch out of my bed and make a run for the bathroom, jumping over my boots before I trip over them. I sit on the bathroom floor, my head resting on the closed toilet seat, hot tears rolling down my face.
“This is hell,” I say in the small bathroom. “Hell, hell, hell,” I yell before ripping the toilet seat open and emptying the rest of the contents in my stomach.
When I feel strong enough to stand, I jump into the shower on shaky legs and wash away the hangover, the green eyes that I spotted last night, and my embarrassment for getting so drunk.
I need greasy pizza.
Skipping church, since I don’t want the stink of alcohol coming from my pores to compete with the smell of incense, I order a pizza from Howdy’s and lie on the couch while I wait for it to arrive, thankful Howdy’s is open already.
I pat my stomach, feeling much better after way too many slices of pizza, some pop, and ibuprofen—the perfect hangover cure. Just as I’m settling into the sofa, my phone rings way louder than necessary, interrupting the World War II documentary I’m watching.
“Hello?” I answer when I see Abbie’s name flash across the screen.
“Hey, how are you feeling?”
“Good, actually. Well, not great, but I’m better. Woke up with a killer hangover.”
“I figured,” she laughs. “Alcohol never works out the way we wish it did. Anyway, I called when I didn’t see you at church and figured you were hungover beyond belief. Do you need anything? I can come over.” My ever so kind friend. Abbie is the caretaker, the nurturer.
“I’m okay, but thanks. I ordered Howdy’s, and I’m feeling much better.”
“Nothing like greasy pizza to soak up the alcohol,” she giggles.
“True that.” I pause a moment, silence hitting the line. “So… Did anyone talk about my drunkenness at church?” I cringe, not wanting to be the center of gossip in this town. I do my best to stay away from that circle.
My Way to You: A Second Chance Romance (Love in Everton Book 7) Page 2
