Page 127 of Jump on Three

“My father’s opening a club in Miami. That’s where I was the last few days.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“While I was there, my father called me, and we had a long talk. Vóva told him about you. I don’t know what he said, but despite my efforts, I think he told our father you and I are serious.” Ivan rolled his shoulders before continuing. “My father remembered you from parents’ weekend. He figured out I had been hiding you from him, which he did not like. So, he’s decided some things about my future.”

Why, oh why, did it feel like there was a guillotine over our heads right now?

“Like what?” I only asked this because it was expected of me, not because I wanted to hear what he had to say.

“He no longer needs me at Lyot. He now wants me to work at the Miami club after graduation.” He squeezed my hand a little harder. “I’m to report there the day after we graduate.”

“Oh.”

I did not know how to process this. I had one vision of how things would be when we finished high school, and suddenly, it was completely different.

“I’m sorry, Evelyn. I know this wasn’t how we planned things, but I can’t say no to him. If I did…I don’t want to think about what his reaction would be.”

“Oh,” I repeated.

“Angel…” He slipped his hand beneath my hair to cup my nape. “I want you to come with me. Live with me in Miami. You can do online courses or apply to colleges there. I know you don’t like the beach, but Miami isn’t so bad. And we would be together. That’s all I care about.”

“Come with you. To Miami. Live with you.”

Blinking over and over, all I could do was echo his words. They didn’t compute. How could I go with him when I was going to Savage U with Delilah? That was the plan. It had been decided. Things couldn’t change now—and in such a massive way.

It didn’t make sense.

“Yes, live with me in Miami. You can help me pick out our place.” The way he rubbed my hand with his thumb felt desperate. “It’s a big fucking change, but it could be a good thing. We have a month to wrap our heads around it. It does not have to be sorted right now.”

“Why do you sound like that?” I brought my finger to his lips, tracing in one direction then the other. “You sound like you’re panicking.”

He caught me by the wrist and kissed my fingertip. “I’m trying to convince you, Evelyn. I don’t have a choice. I have to go. You do have a choice, though. The idea that there’s a chance you won’t pick me is maddening.”

“I—”

I wanted to be able to say yes. Ivan was always so calm and steady, but his hands were shaking in mine. I so badly wished to say yes to soothe him, but this didn’t feel like something I would or could say yes to.

But saying no meant something absolutely preposterous, living without Ivan.

“I can’t answer you right now.”

His shoulders immediately sagged, and he released a long, jagged exhale.

“I know. I was hoping…but I know. You have to think this over.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Just know wherever we are, we’re together. I love you, Evelyn. I can see us being happy in Miami. You and me, against the beach and the rest of the world. We can do this.”

The idea of standing up to the world was terrifying. Leaving my sister was terrifying. Not seeing Ivan every day was terrifying.

My head hurt. My stomach was twisted in a tight knot.

“Can you just hold me and not talk anymore?” I asked.

It wasn’t polite, but it was real and true. I needed Ivan’s arms around me as much as I needed silence. Lucky for me, he gave it to me without hesitation, sighing into my hair.

This was so perfect. Why did he have to change everything?

Chapter Forty-three

Evelyn

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