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His words burn, but I have to endure the pain to know the whole story. They had feelings for each other, so he told her they were together before the accident, that Reed was his. She never questioned it, probably because she didn’t care to learn the truth since she couldn’t remember anything and she loved Wayne.
This is the truth Ellie was talking about. Everly was lied to. She didn’t know about me. She didn’t take my son from me. Jake and Wayne did.
I slide across the seat and stand, not able to take anymore. I pull out my wallet and throw a fifty-dollar bill on the table. Wayne stares up at me, gripping his beer bottle in his hands.
“Don’t take him from me,” he pleads. His brows furrow as panic flashes in his eyes.
I lean across the table, nailing him with a glare. “He’s. My. Son.” The fucking irony. Don’t take my son. How about he never should have taken my son in the first place?
Pushing off the table, I storm out of the hotel bar and take the stairs to the third floor. The force from shoving the door open and it slamming against the wall, echoes down the hallway.
The shots and beer wreak havoc in my mind. Whispers echo back and forth.
Everly telling me she loves me.
Ellie telling me she loves me.
I slam my skull into my room door a couple times, hoping I can knock the noise out of it. I love Everly.
I mean Ellie.
Fuck!
Chapter Thirty-Six
Everly
No matter how long I stare at the door, it won't open on its own. Just knock on the damn door. I will my hand to raise up. Then I halt my trembling fist an inch from touching it. What if he doesn’t want to see me? I blow out a breath and lean into the knock. My knuckles hit the red door three times. I think I'm going to throw up.
Wayne picked up Reed this morning, slipping a paper in my palm. No words, just a defeated expression when he walked away. It was Kase’s hotel and room number. He left a message on my phone last night telling me they had talked. My heart aches for him. He loves me and would do anything for me and Reed. But I have this deep emotional attachment for Kase that I need to explore.
I jump when the door swings open. Kase’s mouth hangs open as if he’s about to yell at me. When he recognizes it’s me, he snaps it shut. His eyes slowly rake down my body. Goosebumps pebble across my skin and I sheepishly smile when our eyes meet. He looks like he recently woke up. His hair is askew, and he’s wearing only basketball shorts. The defined muscles on his entire body tense. I swallow, thinking of dragging my fingers over his stomach muscles. He’s not the same boy I knew years ago. He’s all man now.
“Everly,” he says, greeting me, his voice heavy from sleep.
“So, you can tell us apart,” I reply. We're identical and I wondered if he could tell us apart without speaking.
He flashes a half smile, nodding. “Yes.” The way he states it makes it seem we look nothing alike.
My smile fades. “Can I come in?”
He opens the door wider and motions for me to enter. Walking into the musty dark room, I see it's a typical hotel room with a queen bed and a desk and chair. I open the curtains to let in some light and pull the chair out to sit. Fidgeting in my seat, I try to find the most attractive position I can. I cross my legs and sit up straight, pushing my breasts together in my V-neck t-shirt. Vying for a man’s attention is new to me and I probably look ridiculous. I wait anxiously as he's in the bathroom. I hear a bottle of pills shaking, then the water running. When he walks into the room, he leans against the wall with his arms crossed and a tight smile.
“Are you okay?” I ask, losing some of my courage.
He nods. “Just a headache. It’ll go away soon.”
“Wayne told me y’all talked yesterday.”
He rubs his neck. “We did.”
I pick at the frayed seams of my jean shorts. I'm not sure what I expected, but I was hoping for a warmer greeting. “Kase, I didn’t know. As soon as I remembered, I left Wayne.”
The air conditioner kicks on and I’m thankful for the cool reprieve. The tension between us is making it hot in here. “How long have you had your memories?”
“Ten months.”
His breath catches. I wondered how much Wayne told him. “I hit my head and when I came to, all my memories came flooding back.”
