Page 91 of Against All Odds


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I nod. “I can’t even imagine.”

Hazel puts the rag down and sighs. “He always used his sarcasm and humor as a way to deflect, which is just who he is, right? He’s stubborn and wonderful and a moron and too smart for his own good, but he’s been really lonely. Whenever I’ve tried to talk to him about dating or anything, he shoots me down, saying he has enough women in his life with his mother and me.”

I stay silent for a second. “I’m not trying to ...”

I don’t know what I want to say. Not trying to hurt him. Not trying to ruin his life. Not trying to be the mess I am. All of those are true. The last thing I want is to cause more stress in Everett’s life, although that seems to be exactly what I’m doing.

“You’ve made him smile again. I know it’s only been a couple of months that you’ve been back, but already I see him starting to perk up or, I don’t know, but I’m glad you guys are hopefully finding whatever it is you need. I always thought you guys were meant to be,” she says with a smile.

“I don’t know about that,” I say with a sigh. “I am a bit of a mess right now.”

“We all are.”

I laugh. “Yeah, but I’m like a colossal-size one. To the point my best friend just flew six hours after I didn’t answer a phone call, because she was worried. Although Ana is extra and does these things anyway, but she had a gut feeling I needed her.”

“Are you okay?”

Yesterday I would’ve said no. I would’ve cried and felt the intense grief over the course my life has landed on, but right now it doesn’t seem so insurmountable. Between Everett and all his encouragement and Ana today, I know that I’ll be okay.

It won’t be easy, but nothing in life is.

“I am. Just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”

Hazel leans forward, her palm flat on the counter. “I may not be Analeigh, but you can always come talk to me. No matter what, okay?”

“Thank you, Hazel.”

Ana walks back over with a huge grin. “What did I miss?”

I rest my hand on Hazel’s. “Just my friend reminding me that I’m not so alone here.”

twenty-two

Everett

“Pass me a beer,” I say to Lachlan.

He leans into the cooler, grabbing one and tossing it to me as we sit around the fire pit. “You’re not in your usually asshole mood.”

I’m not in any kind of mood, I’m just whatever.

I don’t know exactly how the fuck they want me to be when I finally got everything I wanted and then had it end before it started.

I shrug. “I didn’t realize I had to always be on.”

He raises his hands. “Easy, killer. I didn’t say anything bad. Just that you seem off.”

“I am.”

There. That’s about all the honesty they’re getting. I loved a girl, lost her, got her back, only to lose her again because she wants to leave Ember Falls and I can’t.

I could never put my mother in a home, and I can’t take her out of this place.

So I’m fucking stuck, and that means letting Violet go.

Miles leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Was it a bad day at work?”

I shake my head, not finding myself able to talk to them about this. I can’t tell anyone since it’s not my news to spread. I just get to suffer in my head. “I’ll be fine. I just need to get back in the swing of things.”