Page 29 of Everlasting Love

“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that, Blue. I can’t forgive myself and I won’t.” She presses her lips together in a tight, straight line and I can tell she’s unhappy with my response. “Are you ready to go?” She nods, so I climb to my feet to help her up. I pull her into me and trap her arms at her side as I hold her tight. “I’m so fucking sorry, Violet.”

She drops her forehead to my chest and tries to reciprocate my embrace but I tighten my hold to keep her hands in place and away from me. I don’t deserve her care and tenderness. After a while, I step back, ensuring she has her balance, then bend down to collect the gifts I brought.

“What are those?” She points to the bag.

I raise the bag balanced on the end of my finger. “I missed the girls, so I brought them something small. I was hoping to see them and give these to them before we go.”

A smile touches her lips … and it’severything.

11

VIOLET

He boughtthe girls gifts because he missed them. Within the span of a few minutes, he managed to break my heartandsurprise me. I can’t even think about the pain in his voice when he took responsibility for Cass and Sam’s attack without my eyes stinging and my throat closing up. He couldn’t be more wrong about where the blame lies. Jake is the only one to blame. He was the one who lost control and beat two women so badly they ended up hospitalized. I don’t understand how Shane, a good man with a good heart, can possibly blame himself for such a heinous act.

“I’m sorry. The girls aren’t home. Mom took them to the movies to distract them from Cass being in the hospital. Jas is too young to understand, but Poppy’s upset that she can’t visit with her mom. They left not long before you arrived.”

His shoulders slump and disappointment takes over his features. “Fair enough. Maybe you can give them to the girls when you get home.” He drops his eyes to his feet, then looks back up at me. “There’s … uh … there’s something in there foryou, too.” His cheeks pinken slightly and it’s adorable to watch such a big man grow embarrassed.

I step closer and poke my finger into the top of the bag to open it enough to peek inside. “Really? I love gifts.”

He thrusts the bag toward me. “Here. You can take it now.” Once I have the bag, he tucks his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels. The tic in his jaw comes to life, and I drop my eyes back to the bag.

I dig my hand into the bag to pull out the gifts. Two books and a travel tea mug. Warmth fills my body on this cold day at his thoughtfulness. I drop the books back into the bag and open the box of the travel mug. It has a green lid—my favorite color. I flick my eyes up to his face. That sexy tic in his jaw has taken on a life of its own as he studies me carefully. Is he worried I won’t like it? I smile at him and lean forward to embrace him. His entire six-foot-three frame tenses; it screamsdon’t touch me, so I freeze in place and drop my arms. “Thank you. I love it. It’ll be great for work.”

He nods once and rubs the top of his short hair, messing up the strands. “I thought it looked robust enough to handle your line of work.” He makes it sound like I’m throwing myself off cliff faces, but I can’t fault his thoughtfulness.

I tilt it this way and that. “I think it’ll be great. Some days I have to hike a bit to get to remote locations for my weed surveys and a hot cup of tea would be fantastic when I take a break. Especially as the temperature drops.” He nods again. He’s always been a man of few words, but his inability to accept athank youtakes it to a whole new level. “I’ll put these inside and we can get going. I need to hug my sister.”

He waits for me, then places his hand on my lower back to guide me to his SUV. Opening the door, he helps me inside and draws the seatbelt across my body, fastening it. His spicy cologne fills my senses without warning making my blood heat;he always smells so damn good. I’m not sure I’m going to survive being trapped in his car with him and his intoxicating scent because I can’t hold my breath for that long. Even after he closes the door, his scent lingers. He climbs in and starts the car, then glances over at me. “You can select the music if you like.”

I scroll through the options on the screen—noting our similar tastes in music—and find one of my favorite playlists on Spotify:Rock Classics. “Hope you don’t mind. I love this playlist.”

Shane glances at the screen and shrugs. “That’s a pretty safe choice.” He returns his eyes to the road, leaving me to my thoughts which immediately return to Cassia.

Mom said I needed to be prepared because Cass is a mess. That’s why she decided to keep Poppy away from the hospital for now. It would be too upsetting for her to see the result of the attack. My stomach rolls at the thought of seeing my sister lying in a hospital bed as a result of Jake’s violence. I can’t imagine the terror she must have felt. My nose tingles and my eyes fill with tears. I blink them away as much as I can, but when the first tear breaches my eyelid, the rest follow quickly.

Shane can’t see me cry again. He already bears the guilt of the attack, and I don’t want to add to his misery so I turn my head toward the window to hide my pain and worry.

God, I hope she’s okay.

Twisting my body slightly, I do my best to hide my face as we drive toward the hospital. Dread grows heavier in my stomach, and I fear I’m going to be sick so I wrap my arms around my stomach to hold myself together. After what feels like forever, Shane pulls into the parking lot of the hospital and climbs out of the car. He walks around to my side to open the door, and I keep my head down, hoping my loose hair will hide the fact that I’ve been crying again, but he’s too observant for that.

Right there, in the parking lot, he wordlessly pulls me in tight to his firm body, and I bury my face in his chest. For the secondtime today, he holds me as I cry. He doesn’t rush me or make me feel like I shouldn’t be upset. He quietly holds my broken pieces and allows me to have my moment. I’m certain he has no idea how important his quiet support is to me as he rubs soothing strokes up and down my back. After a while, my sobs slowly turn to sniffles and I pull away.

“Thank you. I’m so sorry I keep losing it.”

“No problem, Blue.” I keep my face tilted downward, but he gently tips my chin up with the crook of his finger. “Take your time. I’ll be here for as long as you need,” he murmurs. My eyes drop to his mouth, tracing his plush lips, wondering how soft they really are. Does he have any idea how much his words mean? How much his kindness affects me? I don’t think he does because Shane looks after people. That’s what he does. It’s all I’ve seen him do every time we’ve had any interaction.

But who looks after him?

“Thanks. I think I should be okay now.” I suck in a long breath, then blow it out slowly and wipe beneath my eyes. Shane carefully pushes my hands away, cups either side of my face, and uses his thumbs to wipe away the evidence of my breakdown, following the action with eyes full of concern. His tenderness makes my emotions well again and I suck in a breath to hold any more tears at bay. I’m already embarrassed that he’s witnessed me fall apart twice. I pull myself together and straighten my spine. After studying me closely, he must see the determination I have to hold it together and we both turn toward the hospital entrance.

Shane takes a moment to check on Sam, so he can pass on any information to Cass and Toby. I’m such a horrible person, I didn’t even think about Cass’s friend in my need to get to my sister.

The closer I get to Cass’s room, the more my body shakes and my bones rattle with anxiety. It’s been less than twenty-fourhours since the attack, but it feels like it’s been a week since I’ve laid eyes on my sister. I take deep breaths to strengthen my resolve to be strong for Cass as we make our way down the corridor to her room. Not long now and I’ll be able to see that she’s okay for myself.

Toby steps out of a room, and I freeze in place. “Hey.” He leans in to hug me. “I was about to see if I can find any information about Sam and her baby. You mind sitting with Cassia?” He studies my face closely, his eyes full of worry but he must recognize my determination to be here for my sister.

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